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 67
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 67
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Another post office was established in the eastern portion of the township, some years since. James Daley is the present postmaster, the office being loca- ted at his residence, on lot eleven, in the second section.
The first brick building in the township was built by a man named Mead, and stood east of the hollow.
The first orchard in the township was planted by Obadiah Jenney, in the year 1821. This was on the bottom, and known as the stone farm, and consisted of some fifty trees.
The first trading establishment, if it be worth the name, was opened by R. T. Huyck, in "the hollow." He sold rum, a few articles of stoneware and a trifling amount of groceries. The rum was good for men to get drunk on and but little else. The present stores are: J. N. Barnum and Rufus Curtiss, dry goods, and P. W. Finch, drugs.
ORGANIZATION.
The political organization of the township, like that of all others in the State, involves no special in- terest. It was first recognized by being attached to New London. A few years later Clarksfield and Can- terbury constituted one township, and continued for some years longer, when each assumed a distinct or- ganization. The records of the township are imper- fect; in fact, the writer has been obliged to compile much of the early history of this township from the "memoirs" written by Benjamin Benson and E. M. Barnum.
In April, 1822, the following named persons were elected township officers: A. Rowland, Josiah Kil- burn, and Benjamin Carman, trustees; Levi Barnum, clerk; Jason Thayer, William Howard, overseers of the poor; Ziba Thayer, James White, fence viewers; Eli Segur, Smith Starr, appraisers and listers; Eli Barnum, Nathan Miner, constables; Josiah Kilborn, Joseph Osier, Levi Barnum. Eli Segur, Eli Barnum, Ira Peck, Stephen Post, Smith Starr, and Allen Blackman, supervisors. Benjamin Stiles was elected a justice of the peace in 1820 (December), and Obediah Jenney had acted as township clerk previous to the election above mentioned. In early times, in the selection of candidates for office, little was urged bnt weight of character and fitness for the place pro- posed, and of which most were capable of judging, consequently there were but few causes for strife and debate.
The officers for 1878 were: L. F. Beers, Henry Hayes, and A. J. Gridley, trustecs; M. T. Stiles, clerk; G. W. Jerauld, treasurer; S. Long, assessor; Loren Spurrier, constable; Myron Rogers and A. J. Blackman, justices of the peace.
CHURCHES.
Immediately after Samuel Husted became settled in his wilderness home he began holding religious service there on the Sabbath. He was of the Pres- byterian faith, and had brought with him from his far-away eastern home some volumes of sermons, from which he read. Meetings were held at his house until it became too small to accommodate the in- creased attendance, and afterwards in the school house.
Alvin Coe and William Westlake, the former a Presbyterian and the latter a Methodist minister, were the first preachers who visited the township. The first church organization was that of the Congre- gationalists. This took place on October 24, 1822. No early records of this church are now in existence. Among the first members were Samuel Husted, E. E. Husted, and Rhoda Stiles. The first minister to locate was Rev. Xenophon Betts. Then followed Paine, Wilcox, Todd, Penfield, Shepard, etc. Rev. A. A. Crossman, now of Monroeville, was ordained pastor of this church in 1875. Rev. J. M. Frazier succeeded him in 1826, and still labors there. The present church officers are: Martin Palmer and Wil- liam Adams, deacons; Mrs. F. H. Hayes, clerk; J. N. Barnum, treasurer; O. J. Husted, F. E. Wildman, and A. S. Adams, trustees; Thomas Rowland, super- intendent. Average attendance at Sabbath school, fifty. In 1835, the church at the hollow was begun, and finished two years later. The upper room was finished and occupied sooner than this. Do not know the cost.
In about 1822, a Methodist church was formed in the south part of Clarksfield, but the membership was almost entirely from New London township, to which township the sketch of this church belongs, though
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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
the fine brick church built in 1875 is located in Clarksfield.
The second class of this denomination was formed at the "hollow" as early as 1825. The following are all that can now be remembered of the first class: Abram Gray and Anna, his wife; Andrew McMillan and Effie, his wife: Harvey Smith and Maria. his wife ; and Nancy Nickerson. Meetings were first held at the residence of Abram Gray, and from there to the school house in the "hollow." In about 1835, the present church was built. This has been im- proved since. The Rev. Mr. Hazard is thought to have been the first resident minister. The present pastor is Rev. Hiram Royce. The present church officers are: Barney Cooper, Joseph Stiles and Sam- nel D. Gray, trustees; William E. Starr, superin- tendent of Sabbath school. The average attendance of children is fifty. Present church membership, seventy-five.
The East Clarksfield Methodist Episcopal church was formed in 1837 or '38. The following are the constituent members: Alexander Twaddle (who was the first class leader), Sarah Twaddle, Henry S. Barnes, Lydia Barnes, Armon Rusco, Sarah Rusco, E. B. Nickerson, Nancy Nickerson, Elizabeth Twaddle, Charles and Jennie Blackman, Patience Gifford and Adam Shank. Meetings were first held in the houses of Alexander Twaddle and others, and afterward in a log school house standing on lot one in the second section, upon the same site the present church stands. This was dedicated in June, 1870. Its cost was two thousand dollars. The first minister was James Brewster. The present is Rev. Edward L. Warner. Church officers: Aaron Rowland, William Phillips, Thomas Burrows, Giles Scott, Jacob Meyers and Philander Barrett, trustees; H. S. Barnes, Wil- liam Tewilliger and John Hand, class leaders. Aver- age attendance at Sabbath school, seventy. Superin- tendent, Ashley Barnes. Membership of church, one hundred and twenty.
There was at one time a large and prosperons Bap- tist church in the township. Many of the early settlers were members of it, but it passed out of existence many years since.
SCHOOLS.
Coming, as the first settlers did, from New Eng- land, they early appreciated the advantages of educa- tion, and two years after the beginning of the settle- ment, a log school house was erected. This stood, perhaps, sixty rods south of the "hollow," and in it Miss Abzina Barker taught a term of school. This was supported by the inhabitants, who paid according to the number of children sent to school. This "dome of learning" remained for a few years and was burned, it is believed by some of the enterprising (?) young men, then infesting the "hollow." A frame school house was soon after erected, and about the same time another was built on the west side of Ver- million river, in what was then called the "Stiles set-
tlement," and others were built according to the wants of the settlement. In those early times, the scholars made but little progress, as the schools were not continued for more than three months in the year, so that what instruction they gained dur- ing the term was generally lost during the long vaca- tion that followed.
SOCIETIES.
Clarksfield Grange, No. 1174, P. of H., was organized April 18, 1875, with the following charter members : C. C. Clark and wife, E. M. Day and wife, J. M. Rogers and wife, John J. Dunning and wife, D. K. Winans and wife, J. Knapp and wife, J. M. Tuttle and wife, L. Gibson and wife, M. Gregory, Mrs. Sarah Day, Miss Harriet Rogers, A. Colling- wood, L. Johnson, F. Wildman and wife, Henry Hardy and daughter. The society has convened, from its organization, at the residence of J. M. Tuttle, once each month, on the Saturday evening preceding the full moon. The total membership is now (1878) sixteen. The officers for 1878 are; C. C. Clark, master ; J. M. Tnttle, overseer ; D. K. Winans, lec- turer ; Mrs. C. A. Day, chaplain ; A. Collingwood, steward : J. M. Rogers, assistant steward ; E. M. Day, secretary ; M. Gregory, treasurer ; L. Gibson, gate-keeper ; Mrs. C. C. Clark, Pomona ; Mrs. Sarah Day, Flora ; Miss Hattie Rogers, Ceres ; Mrs. Anna Colllingwood, lady assistant steward.
The temperance society, known as Good Templars, have twice organized in the township, and became flourishing and promising, but the interest would sub- side, and the operations of the order finally ceased.
INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS,
The first of the manufacturing industries in Clarksfield township was a grist mill, built by Samuel Husted, in the year 1818. It was small, substantially built, and had one run of stone. Before this mill was built, the settlers had their grinding done at Merry's mill, in Milan, a distance of fourteen miles, and sometimes in Richland county, which was much farther.
The present grist mill at the hollow, was built as early as early as 1838, by Messrs. Squires and Lawton. It was purchased by the present owners, Messrs. Hayes and Barnum, in 1822, they paying for the property (grist and saw mill) six thousand five hun- dred dollars. The grist mill has three run of stone, and is thoroughly equipped throughont.
In 1821, Smith Starr erected the first saw mill in the township. It was propelled, as was the grist mill, by the water of the Vermillion river.
A few years after the beginning of the settlement, a whisky still went into operation at the "hollow." A second distillery was established at " Hayesville," as early as 1821. Percey. Wheeler and Johnson were the projectors of it, and it was in operation but a few years.
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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
A "pocket " furnace was started at the "hollow " quite early, and did quite a business for, perhaps, ten years, casting divers small articles.
The first tannery was started at the "hollow " by Omar Nickerson, as early, it is believed, as 1820. It stood a short distance west of the site of the present grist mill, and was in operation, under different man- agements, until about 1850.
Sherman Smith built a second one, on lot two, in
the fourth section, in 1826. He continued in the business until 1858.
There are two cheese factories in the township, the first of which is located on the corner of lot thirteen, in the second section, and is, we learn, now operated by Horr, Warner and Company, of Wellington, Lorain county.
The second was established by Dorr Twaddle, in 1875.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
MR. SHERMAN SMITH.
MRS. SHERMAN SMITH.
SHERMAN SMITH AND WIFE.
Sherman Smith, now a resident of the township of Clarksfield, Huron county, Ohio, was born in the State of Connectient, Hartford county, September 24, 1795. His parents were both natives of the same State. His father, Mr. Elisha Smith, was born in Plymouth, Hartford county, in 1766; his mother, Margaret, daughter of Moses Matthews, of the same county and State, was born in 1776. They were mar- ried in 1794. Elisha Smith was by trade a blacksmith. In 1805. he and his family moved to Onondaga county, New York, about eight miles southwest of where now is the city of Syracuse: and in 1811, with a team and wagon. the family, now consisting of Mr. Smith, wife, three sons and one daughter, started for Southern Ohio by way of Buffalo, New York. to Erie, Pennsyl- vama, thenee across the wilderness to a place called Beef, on the Alleghany river, where a boat was pur- chased. and all, team, wagon and family shipped aboard to Pittsburgh: theuce down the beautiful Ohio to C'ineinnati, then only a small village of less than two thousand six hundred inhabitants; thence by
team, seventy-five miles to Springfield, Clark county, Ohio; having been more than forty days making this jonrney to their western home. During the war of 1812-14, he served as an artificer, shoeing oxen and horses. He died September, 1814, his wife having died July 28th of the same year.
Sherman Smith was the eldest of this family of orphan children, and had seen service for six months in the army.
His brother, C. Austin, was born in Connecticut August, 1197, and died in New London August, 1827. His widow, now a widow of Squire Barrett, lives in Huron, Ohio.
His sister, Betsey, was born July, 1802, in Connecti- cut; was the first wife of Capt. Z. Barrett (and mother to Philander and Smith Barrett), died in New London, Ohio, May 25, 1839. His youngest brother, Major, was born August 16, 1809, in Onondaga county, New York, and now resides in Clarksfield, Huron county, Ohio. These three brothers, in the fall of 1815, (in company with J. P. Case and family, Simeon Munson and family and others), came and settled in New London, on the farm now owned by
A. g. Blackman
E. J, Blackman
RESIDENCE OF A. J. BLACKMAN, CLARKSFIELD TP, HURON CO.O.
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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
George Jenney. Sherman, now twenty years of age, acted as both parent and guardian to and for his younger brothers. The patient endurance, labor, cold, hunger and a thousand wants poorly supplied, none, save those similarly placed, can or ever will realize. Major has told the biographer that for years the only garment of elothing he wore, was made of domestic tanned bnek or deer-skns!
His sister, Betsey, did not come to New London with her brothers. She had been, upon the death of her parents in 1814, bound ont to a Baptist preacher by the name of Michael French, who, according to the sayings of those who knew, was "a better judge of the horse and horse-trading, and drinking whisky than he was of preaching the gospel," and the girl was very ill treated in this family; and in July, 1818, her brother, Sherman, resolved on her rescue from worse than negro bondage, and bravely did he steal, (if sneh a word may be employed for so noble an act,) and, on an old horse which she rode, and he on foot whipping the old jaded animal through the woods, did both, after many hungry and weary days and nights, arrive in New London. He was pursued, and at home arrested for kidnapping his sister. While under arrest, upon the giving of his individual note to French, for the sum of one hundred dollars, he was released. The note was never collected.
In the spring of 1819, while all the family were absent, (Betsey visiting at A. Miner's, and the boys at a raising of a potash factory for Dr. Samuel Day,) the house and its contents, including the township and family records, were entirely consnmed. Upon the organization of New London in 1817, Sherman was made township clerk, which office he held till 1822.
HIS WIFE.
Miss Caroline Knapp, daughter of John Knapp, was born in Fairfield county, Connectient, August 9, 1809; came with her stepfather, Mr. Simeon Hoyt, in October, 1817, and began living on lot number six, section four, in the township of Clarksfield, and she and Mr. Smith now live on the same. Sherman Smith and Caroline Knapp were married in New London, Ohio, by Isaac P. Case, October 17, 1825. Sherman now sold to his brother, Austin, his place in New London, and he and his wife went into the woods in Clarksfield, on lot number two, fourth sec- tion, where James M. Crandall now resides. They cleared up this farm, and remained on it till 1862, since which time they have lived at their present house. This couple have lived long, peaceably and happily together, and are the parents of four as good and respectable girls and women as the county is proud of as citizens. The children are: Sarah, (now Mrs. Col. George Bissell) born April 5, 1827, and married October 15, 1842, and lives in New London. Sabra (now Mrs. B. G. Fanning living in Clarksfield), born January 12, 1829, and was married July 4, 1846. Mina (now Mrs. G. A. Fox, of New London), born
December 27, 1831, and was married September 25, 1848. Emeline (now the wife of Andrew J. Black- man, Esq., of Clarksfield), born April 10, 1834, and was married September 1, 1856.
Mrs. Smith is now a healthy, handsome, well pre- served old lady; very proud of her aged and kind, generous and benevolent husband, and, if possible, manifests more satisfaction in being the mother of four so good, healthy and respectable daughters, (and the daughters love and are equally proud of their parents).
She requested her biographer to say for her: "I have brought up four as good and respectable girls as were ever raised; and I never compelled one of them to go to a Sabbath school a single day, but I left them entirely at liberty to go or not to go as they chose." And, when enquired as to what church she belonged, replied: "To DR. SKELLENGER'S CHURCH."
As pioneers, the family experienced much of its privations, including education and much of the joys, and pleasures and happiness known and enjoyed in the earliest days of the first settlers. Mr. Smith. now almost eighty-four years of age, does his labor on the farm, and enjoys excellent health. He has filled honestly and well several public positions, and is a pensioner. One of the qualities that distinguish Mr. and Mrs. Smith is generous hospitability, ever delighting in the happiness and comfort of all their many friends. Benevolent, kind, generous, industri- ons, honest and happy, they are. May they happily continue to live. A. D. S.
ANDREW J. BLACKMAN.
Andrew J. Blackman was born in the township of New London, Huron county, Ohio, at the home of his parents at Barrett's Corners, December 10, 1830. Simeon Blackman, father of Andrew J., came to the connty, from Cortland county, New York, in the spring of 1815, stopping a few months at Florence, Erie county, then a part of Huron county. He then bought a farm of one hundred and fifty aeres, at Bar- rett's Corners, upon which he made a large part of the clearing, set out an orehard and built a frame barn. He was the son of Josiah Blackman, who afterwards settled in Florence township. He was the sixth of a family of nine children, but three of whom are now living, though all attained a fair old uge. He was but seventeen years of age when he came to Ohio. lis death occurred in May, 1864. Ile was married, in 1824, to the sixth child of Philander Bar- rett. She came to Ohio, from Ontario county, New York, in 1822, her father having died previously. She was twenty-one years of age when she came to the State. Immediately after marriage, they com- menced housekeeping on the farm at Barrett's Corners, where they remained until 1833, and where five chil- dren were born to them, viz: Stephen, who died in
36
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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OIIIO.
infancy, Orinda, Elvira, Wealthy A. and Andrew J. They then bought a farm in Russia township, Lorain county. where they lived two years and where another daughter, Mary A., was born. They went from there to Huron, Erie county, where they bought a prairie farm, but, it being a sickly location at that time, they remained but two years, when they bought a farm in Vermillion township. Erie county. This farm proved to be a poor one, and two years later it was traded for a farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres, in Clarksfield township, on which they immediately moved, and where they resided until the death of Mr. Blackman, in 1864. While at Vermillion, another son, George W., was born; and a son was also born after their removal to Clarksfield. The latter died in infancy. The others are all living at the present time. Their mother is also still living.
Andrew J. Blackman lived with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age. He had the privi- leges of a common school education, and a term at Oberlin college. On arriving at age, he began mak- ing efforts to secure a home of his own, at which he continued with reasonable success. On the first day of September, 1855, he married Miss Emeline S. Smith, of Clarksfield. She remained with her parents two years after her marriage, during which time Mr. Blackman worked his father's farm. On Angust 30, 185%, a son, Sherman F., was born to them. In the fall of 1852, they began housekeeping on his father's place. In the spring of 1858, Mr. Blackman bought sixty acres of the farm he now owns, for one thousand three hundred and fifty dollars, it being new and with no buildings, except a log house and two log barns. They moved into the log house in the follow- ing November, where they lived humble and contented lives for nine years, making improvements and such additions to the farm as they were able to do. A daughter, Emma D., was born in April, 1864. They have had but the two children mentioned above.
In the summer and fall of 1867 their present resi- dence was built, and in February, 1868, they vacated the old log house, not with the expectation of an in- creased measure of happiness, but to satisfy an aspira- tion they had of always looking forward to something better. To say that all has been accomplished that was looked forward to, would be folly, yet, all things considered, they are not despondent on account of failures, nor yet flattered by success.
In regard to his services in public life, Mr. Black- man has been elected to all the township offices, ex- cept clerk and treasurer. He has been a justice of the peace all the time since he was twenty-seven years of age, with the exception of four years, and is now attending to the duties of that office. In politics, he is a republican.
Mrs. Emeline S. Blackman, wife of Andrew J., was born April 10, 1834, at Clarksfield, Huron county. She is the youngest of a family of four daughters, viz: Sarah, Sabra, Mina and Emeline S., all of whom
are now living. Her father, Sherman Smith, came from Springfield, Ohio, to IIuron county, in its carliest settlement. He first settled in New London, but shortly after moved to Clarksfield, where he has since resided. He is now living, a hale old man, in his eighty-fourth year. His wife, who is still living, came from Danbury, Connecticut, with her mother and stepfather, when she was but eight years of age. Her maiden name was Caroline Knapp.
Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Blackman have ever joined a church or secret society, nor have they or their chil- dren been addicted to the use of strong drinks of any kind, or to the use of tobacco in any form.
Mr. Blackman's success in life is mainly to be attributed to a strict sense of justice, to reasonable economy and rigid industry.
EDWIN W. CUNNINGHAM.
Born in 1842, he is the youngest son of Hiram May and Ennice Cunningham. His father settled in Clarksfield in 1838, and Edwin's place of birth was
RED
at the old Cunningham homestead, where his father toiled many wearisome years to make it the beautiful home it became before Edwin left its shelter. Mr. Cunningham senior purchased his land in the second section, known as lots twenty-one and parts of lots sixteen and twenty-two, the extent of his purchase being a little more than two hundred acres, for which he paid four hundred and fourteen dollars and seven- ty-five cents. Ile lived in Clarksfield until the time of his death, July 11, 1866. His was a quiet, useful, and unostentatious life. He believed in the advan- tage of a good education, and aided his children in this direction to the full extent of his ability. Edwin began his collegiate course at Baldwin University in
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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
1860, where he completed his junior year. In the fall of 1865 he went to Hillsdale, Michigan, and in June of 1866 he graduated with honors. As a stu- dent, while he was perhaps less industrious than others of his classmates, he scarcely ever appeared in recitation without having gained a ready mastery of the subjects to be recited. His mind was then, and is still, of an analytical turn and quick of comprehen- sion, and it scarcely ever grappled with a subject or problem which it did not quickly understand or solve. His classmates were often puzzled over the question : " How is it that Ed. masters with so little effort what it costs us so many anxious, toilsome hours to over- come?" As a scholar he excelled in mathematics and the natural and mental sciences. The very fact of his easy mastery of his lessons made him a little care- less of the details of the subject in hand. Under- standing the main features clearly, the minor ones would often escape his attention. But for this fault, no fellow-student of his could possibly have equalled him in excellence of recitation, for none excelled him in talent. Leaving Hillsdale after his graduation, he returned to Clarksfield, and March 12, 1867, was united in marriage with Miss Deborah Rowland, daughter of Ezra and Catharine Rowland, pioneer settlers in Clarksfield. The attachment which thus happily culminated in marriage was formed before Edwin had left his father's home to prosecute his studies in Baldwin University. Thrown in the soci- ety of other young ladies, some of them the fairest of the fair, still, through all the years of his almost constant absence from his first love, his fidelity re- mained unshaken. This constancy has been rewarded
by the happiness which has ever characterized his home life; a happiness which we feel safe in saying has never known a single disturbing element, save that which has come in the line of domestic affliction, the tendency of which is always to cement still more closely the bond which unites two licarts in one.
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