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 60

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 60
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 60

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E. C. Riggs and family, and a family by the name of Beckwith, settled in 1834, the former on lot fifty, and the latter on twenty-five, section three. Alva Low arrived about the same time.

Marcus L. Ward, from Cayuga county, New York, located where he now resides in 1834, and Martin Denman, from Delaware county, New York, about the same time, taking up his abode where his son Cyrus now lives.

Amasa Finch and family removed from Pennsyl- vania to Townsend in November, 1836, locating a mile and a half east of the center. He afterwards lived for a time in Clarksfield and in Wakeman, but spent the latter years of his life in this township, where he died, in 1877, aged nearly seventy-eight. His widow now lives near the center. Three children are living. Julia Ann is the wife of S. G. Waldron, of Townsend, of whom mention has been made. Platt W. lives in Clarksfield, and Chauncey in this town- ship

Isaac Trimmer, his wife, and his wife's mother, moved in from Cayuga county, New York, in the fall of 1839. Mr. Trimmer made his location where he now lives, on the west part of lot seventy-five in the third section. His parents, John and Elizabeth Trimmer, came on some years subsequently, but re- mained only a year, when they returned to New York, where he died in 1863. Mrs. Trimmer then came to Townsend, making her home with her son Isaac the remainder of her life. She died January 18, 1876, at the advanced age of ninety-nine years, six months, and fourteen days. She was born on the fourth day of July, 1726, and was one of a family of eleven children, all of whom she survived. Her mother lived to the age of one hundred years, and her ma- ternal grandfather reached the great age of one hun- dred and ten. In her father's large family there was but one son, and it sometimes became necessary for the daughters to assist in the work on the farm, and it is said Mrs. Trimmer raked and bound grain many a day and kept up with the cradler.

White Sammis moved into Townsend from Cayuga county, New York, in the year 1837. He cleaerd up the farm now owned and occupied by his family. He died January 2, 1859, leaving a wife and three child- ren surviving him. Mrs. Sammis is still living, well advanced in life. She makes her home with her son Anson.

The number of the white male inhabitants of Town- send in 1827, above the age of twenty-one years, as shown by the enumeration made by the County As- sessor for that year, was thirty-five, as follows:

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

TOWNSEND 35.

George Kellogg.

Johnson Wheeler.

Amaziah Barber.

Henry Kellogg.

John Miller.

Benjamin Bailey .

Horatio Thompson.

Edward Mollony .

Benjamin Benson.

William Burdue.

Joseph Purdy.

Frederick Perring.

George Miller. David Goodell.

Charles Purdy .

Augustus Barber.

Amon Milliman.

Nehemiah Ordway. Alfred Arnold.

John Barher. David Barber.

Bryant Milliman.

Thomas Farrand.

Ansel Barber.

Stephen Heath.

Joseph Waldron.

Amaziah Barber, Jr.

Lewis Middleton.

Jeremiah Milspau.

Caleb Knapp:

Sheldon Barnes.

George Milspau.

Thomas E. Fletcher.

Nathaniel Calhoun.

Ahijah Barber.

EARLY EVENTS.

The first wedding in Townsend was that of Dr. Lyman Fay, of Milan, and Miss Caroline Kellogg, daughter of Orisimus Kellogg, of this township. This event occurred at the house of the bride's father, July 21, 1816, David Abbott, Esq., tying the nuptial knot.

William and Elizabeth Burdne were the parents of the first white children born in the township. They were twins, were born in the year 1816, and lived only a few months. The next birth was that of Roxena Goodell, daughter of David and Electa Good- ell. She was born June 19, 1817, married Amherst Ordway, January 24, 1838, and died in Wood county, Ohio, May 11, 1876. A birth also occurred in one of the Barber families in 1817.

David Sayre, was the first person that died in the township, but the date we are unable to give.

The first tavern was opened by Moses D. Fowler, in the southwest part of town, on the Medina road, about the year 1834. On the southeast corner of the cross roads, where the west line road intersects the Me- dina road, stands the old "Blue Fly" erected by William Thompson twenty-two or twenty-three years ago. It was originally painted blue. Some one facetiously dubbed it "the blue fly" and the place has always been known by that name. Thompson kept it as a tavern for five or six years when he sold it to Theodore Williams, of Norwalk, who now owns it. It is now used as a dwelling.

EDUCATIONAL.

The first school house was built in the Barber set- tlement, about the year 1818. The first school teacher is not known with certainty, but is generally supposed to have been Jasper Miles, who taught a winter school. Miss Polly Barber, (now Mrs. Samuel Sher- man, aged nearly eighty, ) kept the first summer school. Lucy Tenant was among the earliest school teachers in the township. She taught in a log dwelling which stood on the farm now occupied by S. G. Waldron, in the southeast part of town. A seminary, called " The Western Reserve Union Institute," was established at Collins, in 1855, chiefly through the efforts of W. S. Hyde. The institution derived its support from the tuition of its pupils, and was not incorporated. It had an existence until about the year 1870, when the building was purchased by the township, and has since been used as a district school.

RELIGIOUS.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH

was organized in Penfield, New York, in 1816, and consisted of five members, namely : Abijah Barber, Benjamin Bailey, Acsah Bailey, Jasper Miles and Betsey Miles, all of whom removed to this township the following year. It was originally called " The Peace Baptist Church," one of the articles of its con- stitution condemning. "all carnal wars and fighting, and the use of carnal weapons, in self defence, as un- warranted by Scripture."

The members, on removing to this township, kept up their organization, the earliest meetings being held at their respective dwellings.

Elder French, a Baptist minister, preached the first sermon in the township.

Elder Phillips, of Berlin, was also one of the earliest preachers of that denomination that preached in the township.

The first settled pastor was Elder R. W. Vining, who began his labors in 1837. Since Mr. Vining, J. R. Abbott, J. Freeman, F. P. Hall, A. J. Ellis, D. B. Simms, John Kyle, E. R. Richmond, J. P. Islip and S. A. F. Freshney, have successively officia- ted as pastors. The latter's term of service has not yet expired.

A church building was erected at the center, in 1850, costing about five hundred dollars. The society has at present a membership of fifty-three. Edwin Kinney is clerk ; William Bott and John Teed, deacons ; Edwin Kinney is superintendent of the Sabbath school, which is small, numbering some twenty-five or thirty scholars.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

We are indebted to Rev. George A. Weber, pastor of the church, for the facts in the following state- ment:

The church was in existence at Townsend Center in the spring of 1839; how long before that, or by whom organized, can not be ascertained. The first meetings were held in an old red school house a short distance southeast of the center. The building is now used by H. Boardman as a bee-house. There were then two other M. E. Societies in the township, one of which met in a school house on the east town line, and the other in a school house (recently burned) about two miles further west. The society at the center had a precarious existence until the completion of its house of worship in 1852, at which time the other classes referred to disbanded, some of the mem- bers uniting with the church at the center and others going elsewhere. In 1849, when the Brothers Burton and Curtiss Fairchild with their wives united, there were only eleven members, themselves included. The names of the other members were as follows: A. D. Bryant (leader), his wife and father, Zenas Graham, Alva Brewster and wife, and a Mrs. Vining.

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

Regular services, which had not been previously held, were at once established and have continued, withont intermission, until the present. They were held in the school house which then stood upon the site of the present school building at the center, but now stands a short distance further west, and is used by the Good Templars as a lodge-room. The church has grown from that little band of eleven. in 1849, to a present membership of one hundred and sixty-eight, including thirty probationers.

From 1838 to 1841, the following ministers were on the Clarksfield circuit, in which this church was embraced, viz: J. L. Ferris, William Disbro, Thomas Barkdull, W. J. Wells, John H. Curtiss, James Brewster and John O. Conoway. L. B. Gurley was the presiding elder.

The following were the preachers from 1849 to 1860, to wit: Hiram Humphrey, Luke Johnson, John R. Jewett, H. M. Close, Wm. Hustiss, J. M. Wilcox, G. W. Breckenridge, E. H. Bush, James Evans, Jacob A. Brown, Ralph Wilcox and John McKean. During that time (from 1849 to 1860), or at least a portion of it, the society was included in the Florence cirenit, and two preachers were constantly employed.

The church building was begun in the summer of 1851 and completed, during the pastorate of John R. Jewett, in the fall of 1852, and cost fourteen hundred dollars. The dedication sermon was preached by Edward Thompson, D. D., afterwards bishop.

The Sabbath school was organized in the spring of 1853. George Perkins was the first superintendent. The present membership is about one hundred and fifty. George D. Liles is at present the superin- tendent.

TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES.

A lodge of Good Templars was organized at the center of Townsend in 1867, with about forty mem- bers. The society occupied, for a time, a building which stood on the site of A. D. Smith's shop. The building was subsequently destroyed by fire, the soci- ety losing some two hundred dollars thereby. For seven months succeeding this event the meetings were held in the house of E. Kinney, when the old school house just west of the center was obtained and fitted up for a lodge room and has since been used by the society.

TEMPERANCE MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY.

The object of this organization is two-fold: to diminish intemperance and to provide a means for mental improvement. The members pledge them- selves to abstain from the use, as a beverage, of in- toxicating drinks. The literary exercises consist of declamations, essays and the discussion of temperance topics. The society was formed in November, 1824, with forty-seven members, and up to the present time five hundred and thirty names have been added to the list of membership. The exercises are held alter-

nately in the Methodist and Baptist churches at the center.

POST OFFICE.

The first post office was established in 1833 or 1834, with Daniel Phillips as postmaster, who kept the office in his house, on lot ninety two, in the first sec- tion. The office was called East Townsend, which name it has retained until the present time, for the reason that there was an office in Sandusky county of the name of Townsend. Phillips' administration was defective in one particular: he failed to account to the government for the receipts of his office, and some three years after his appointment, James Arnold and Nehemiah Ordway, his bondsmen, received a notifica- tion from Washington that the official was then in arrears to the government in the sum of about seven- teen dollars. The amount was paid by the bondsmen, and Phillips was removed from office, and was suc- ceeded by Hiram Boardman, who served for a term of six or seven years. White Sammis wats then appointed and held the position three years, when he was suc- ceeded by James Arnold, and the location of the office changed to the center of the township. Mr. Arnold kept the office five or six years, and was followed by Jasper St. John who held the place for a few months only, when John Miller received the appointment. The office was then removed to the railroad, half a mile further north, and continued there some four years, when it was re-established at the center, with William Humphrey as postmaster. He served two years, and was succeeded by James Arnold, who con- tinned until the appointment of the present incum- bent, W. D. Johnson, in October, 1872.

The first east and west mail through Townsend was carried, on foot, by a man of the name of Coles, whose trip extended from Akron to Norwalk. At first his mail bag consisted of a large sized pocket book, locked with a padlock of about the size of a silver half dollar, but the first trip he made through Townsend his "mail bag" was entirely empty. An early mail carrier was a man by the name of Waldron, and on one of his trips through the woods he threw the mail bag at a deer, knocking it down, and before the animal could regain his feet he jumped upon it and cut its throat with a pocket-knife. A man by the name of De Bow carried the mail from Norwalk to Medina, back in the twenties. His route passed within twenty or thirty rods of Thomas Fletcher's house, on the creek, south of the Medina road. Fletcher cut a mortice in a large white oak tree, on the road, for the reception of his mail, and made an arrangement with the mail carrier to blow his tin horn whenever his " box" contained any mail. The ar- rangement was faithfully carried out by De Bow, and the sound of his horn became as familiar as the song of the whip-poor-will.

PHYSICIANS.

The earliest doctors who practiced in the township were doubtless from the surrounding towns. The

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

first resident physician was Dr. G. R. Stanton, who located at the center, and began to practice in 1847. He remained for six or seven years and then removed to Lawrence, Kansas, where he now lives. Dr. Morse came in soon after, but remained only a year, when he removed to Pennsylvania. Dr. Hoyt was an early practitioner of physic here. Dr. Charles Arnold commenced the practice of medicine in 1848, and continued until 1851, when he removed to Mon- roeville. He now resides at Townsend Center, en- gaged in the manufacture of violins. Dr. E. Martin, the present physician residing at the center, moved into the place in the fall of 1851. He is of the regn- lar school, deriving his medical education at Hudson Medical College, Cleveland, where he graduated in 1855. He is at present the only resident doctor in the township, and has an extensive practice. Since Dr. Martin began here, two or three others have started in practice, but remained only a short time.

ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIP.

The first election for township officers was held, in pursuance of an order of the supreme court, October 15, 1820, at the house of Benjamin Bailey. Jasper Miles, Abijah Barber, and Isaac R. Wright were judges, and Frederick Perring and Royal Munger clerks of election. Township officers were elected as follows: Frederick Perring, clerk; Abijah Barber, David Lee, and Benjamin Bailey, trustees; Thomas E. Fletcher and Isaac R. Wright, overseers of the poor; Royal Munger and David C. Lewis, fence view- ers; Hiram Bailey, appraiser of property; Samuel Sherman, lister; Abijah Barber, treasurer; Royal Munger, constable. On the 15th of November, fol- lowing, an election was held for justice of the peace. There were nine votes cast, all of which were given to Jasper Miles. The poll book of this election, on file in the office of the Clerk of Huron county, co :- tains the names of the following electors: Augustus Barber, Benjamin Bailey, Abijah Barber, David Lee, Hezekiah Barber,.Frederick Perring, Royal Munger, Hiram Bailey, Ehsha H. Sheldon.

April 1, 1822, Royal Munger was elected justice of the peace, receiving the nine votes cast. The first record of an election of justice of the peace in the original township record book, now in possession of Sanford G. Waldron, of Townsend, is that of April, 1823, when oliver Day was chosen to that office. Be- sides those mentioned, Joseph Purdy, Thomas E. Fletcher, Johnson Wheeler, Levi Chapman and White Sammis, were some of the early justices of the peace.

At the election for sheriff of Huron county, held in Townsend, December 6, 1820, thirteen votes were cast, of which Benjamin Abbott received six, Asa Sanford five, and Platt Benedict, two.

The first election in the township, for State and county officers, was held October 9, 1821. There were thirteen votes cast for State senator, which were given for Ebenezer Merry. Fourteen votes were cast

for representative in state legislature, of which Ly- man Farwell received thirteen and David Abbott one. Enos Gilbert received thirteen votes for sheriff and David Gibbs, one vote. Platt Benedict received twelve votes for auditor; Robert S. Southgate had twelve votes for county commissioner, and James Strong, six: Lnke Keeler had ten votes for coroner and Amos Woodward. six.

The different settlements in Townsend were so separated from each other that election days were the only occasions on which they met together. Men and boys attended the election as a holiday, bringing their rifles with them to shoot at target. As but few votes were polled and but little excitement, politically, pre- vailed, they had plenty of time to engage in sports.

At the presidential election, when Jackson was elected president, there was a grund wrestling match between the two political parties. It was a close con- test, but the administration party prevailed, who regarded the result as significant, and the affair came very near ending in a general fight. It is said that, if Milford's whisky had not given out, blood would, undoubtedly, have been spilt.

A substantial, two-story brick town hall was erected in the summer of 1870, at the center, costing four thousand five hundred dollars. The plan was drawn and the building erected by E. Kinney, architect and builder, living at Townsend center.

William Townsend, one of the original proprietors of the township, put up a block house at the center, in which he opened a store in 1822 or '23. It was furnished from his store in Sandusky, which he estab- lished in the winter of 1819-20, bringing his first goods from New Haven, Connecticut, in a sleigh.

A store was subsequently kept here a short time by Kneeland Townsend, brother of William Townsend, and still later by James Arnold, who continued in merchandise for a number of years.

There are two villages in the township, of nearly equal size, called Townsend center and Collins, the latter situated on the railroad, half a mile north of the center. At Townsend center there are two chu ches, two stores, one millinery shop, one black- smith shop, one school house, one saw mill, one hee- house, one violin manufacturer and one architect and builder.

At Collins there are one general store, one grocery, one tin shop, one millinery store, one hotel, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, two shoe shops, one harness shop, one broom factory, one pump fac- tory, and one saw mill and bending works.

MILLS AND MANUFACTURES.

The pioneer mill of Townsend was established by William Burdne. He brought with him from Penn- sylvania a pair of small mill-stones, and set up a hand mill for grinding grain. The rude contrivance was a great convenience to the early settlers, who were thus saved many miles of travel. through dense woods to get their milling done.

251

HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

The first saw mill in this township was built by David Lee, in 1820. It was located on lot seventy- three, in the fourth section, on Rattlesnake creek. There are, at the present time, three saw mills in operation. The mill near the center was erected by James Arnold, in the winter of 1848-9. When com- pleted, he sold it to William Humphrey, who operated it until his death, in 1824, when it passed into the hands of George Bargus, the present owner.

The saw mill of L. V. Mckesson was established by Cyrus Minor, in 1856. He operated it for five or six years, when he sold to James McCullough, who, a year subsequently, moved the machinery away. A man by the name of Funk afterwards bought the building and fitted it up for a grist mill, which he carried on for three years, and then removed the machinery to Mt. Vernon.

THE COLLINS PUMP COMPANY.

The original building of this factory was erected by W. S. Hyde and Pruden Alling, in 1857, who engaged in the manufacture of the Hyde cultivator, of which the said Hyde was the patentee. They carried on the business for one year, when a suspension resulted, occasioned, principally, by the hard times of that period. In 1866, the building and ground were pur- chased by Isaac Mckesson, who subsequently formed a partnership with M. M. Perkins in the manufacture of sash, doors and blinds. Afterwards, Cyrus Denman bought a half interest with Mckesson in the property, and they, in addition to the business then in operation, began the manufacture of pumps. Subsequently, J. C. Shaw became a partner of Mckesson, and they are now the owners of the property. The works are run by an engine of twenty-horse power, and the factory possesses facilities for an extensive business.

UNION BENDING WORKS.

The Union Bending Works were established in 1852, by Hemmingway & Humphrey, in the saw mill near the center, and having passed through several hands down to 1866, came into the possession of Smith & Ellis, who began the business in its present location and carried it on for one year, when it passed into the hands of William G. Alling & Co. These parties continued the business but one year. Isaac Mckesson then became proprietor of the business, with his son, L. V. McKesson, as superintendent. Soon after this another copartnership was entered into between Mon- trose &.Mckesson, and was conducted under this firm name for one year, when Montrose sold out, and the firm was succeeded by Mckesson & Ellis, who contin- ued the business for six months. Mr. Ellis, then went out and Isaac Mckesson took his son, L. V. Mc- Kesson, into partnership, under the firm name of Isaac Mckesson & Son. This arrangement continued for one year, closing with the year 1871. On Janu- ary 1, 1872, L. V. Mckesson bought of Isaac Mc- Kesson, his share in the business, together with all the buildings, machinery, etc., and has been, since

that date, sole proprietor of the Union Bending Works, making numerous improvements and additions, both in machinery and buildings. A large, new warehouse, thirty by sixty feet has been erected in which to store felloes. The capacity of the works has been enlarged to a considerable extent. Formerly the utmost ca- pacity was, in the manufacture of felloes, from forty to fifty set, steamed and bent, per day; and in sawing lumber, from two thousand to twenty-five hundred feet per day. At this time they have facilities for steam- ing and bending one hundred set of felloes per day, and for sawing from four to six thousand feet of lum- ber. The sawing, ripping, and planing are done in the basement story; the steaming, bending and pack- ing felloes is done in the second story of the mill building. Within the year past a turning shop has been added, and quite lately has been enlarged and improved. Neck-yokes and whiffletrees are the spe- cialties in this department. All kinds of bent work for wagons, buggies, sleds and cutters is made, requir- ing, for these alone, from twelve to fifteen hundred feet of the best hickory and oak lumber per day. From fifteen to twenty men are employed about the works, and on some occasions as many as fifteen teams and teamsters are employed to get logs to the mill. A side track is laid from the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern depot to the mill platform, so that cars can be run in and loaded at the mill.

The following is a list of personal property subject to taxation in a portion of Townsend, as taken in May, 1826, by John Miller, deputy assessor:

Names.

Horses, Aggre- Mules, gate Value. Asses.

Neat Cattle.

Aggre- gate Value.

Thomas E. Fletcher.

Amaziah Barber.

Augustus Barber

Frederick Perring

Horatio Thompson

Caleb Knapp

Hezekiah Barber

Benjamin Bailey

Abijah Barber

Stephen Heath

Bryant Milliman

Niram Milliman.

Lambert Schaefer

George Miller.

William Burdue.

Amon Milliman

George Kellogg

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

DOCTOR EDGAR MARTIN

was the eighth child of Gilbert Martin and Hannah Washburn, and was born in Fitchville, Huron county, Ohio, October 10, 1826. He came to Townsend in 1851, and commenced the practice of medicine.

He married Miss Mary Jane Chapman, of Town- send, in 1853. They have four living children: Marie, Fred. D., May and Edgar G.

Fred. D. Martin is a physician, and lives in Colton, Henry county, Ohio. The other members of the amily are at home.

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

Doctor Edgar Martin, the subject of this sketch, toook his degree from the Cleveland Medical College, in Cleveland, Ohio, in the year 1856, after five years

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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 60

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