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 98
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 98
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The first two years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Dole lived in Shelburne, the village in which they were married. They then removed to Deerfield, where they remained about six years, when they re- turned to Shelburne, remaining one year. They then went to New Salem for about three years; then to Conway for one year: then back to Shelburne for an- other year. They then moved to Ashfield, where they remained about three years. In the spring of 1843, they decided to find a home for their growing family in the western country, and in May, of that year, re- moved to Lyme, Huron county, Ohio. They rented a place for a short time, when Mr. Dole bought the improved farm of Mr. Chester Hamilton, a half mile north of the place where Mrs. Dole now lives, with her son Edwin. They remained on this farm some ten years, when they removed to the present home- stead, about a mile east of Bellevne, Huron county, Ohio, which Mr. Dole had purchased some two years previously. In 1866, he exchanged his first farm with his son George, for land in Illinois, which he bought some time before. He owned four hundred and seventy acres in Illinois, which he divided among his children, giving to each of his three eldest sons one-fourth of this property, on condition that they should live on it three years; and divided the remain- ing one-fourth between bis two daughters, Fedlia J., and Harriet A.
Mr. Dole became a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church of New Salem, Massachusetts, in 1834, and continned a faithful and consistent member of that church during his life. After his removal to
416
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
Ohio he joined the church organized in Lyme, and took an active part in all the enterprises connected with the church. He was one of the trustees of the church, and for many years was a class leader, until his hearing became impaired, when he gave it up. He was always foremost in any good work belonging to the church. and contributed largely toward the erection of the present beautiful church edifice, that is an ornament to Bellevne.
He was never a man of sound health; in fact, he hardly knew what good health was. He was predis- posed to consumption, and suffered much, but was always cheerful and uncomplaining. His disease gradually bore him down until he was obliged to take to his bed the 9th of October, 1871. He lingered along, a constant sufferer, until his death which oc- curred March 16, 1872, at the age of sixty-five years.
His wife, the mother of his children, still lives at the old homestead, in the township of Lyme, near the pretty village of Bellevne, with her son. Edwin L., in a beautiful home, blessed with loving grandchil- dren, and surrounded by the friends of nearly forty years.
Mr. Dole was a cooper by trade, but did not follow that business long after his marriage. While, a resi- den of Franklin county, Massachusetts, he was for a number of years engaged in teaming to Boston for the merchants of the county in which he lived, bringing to them the merchandise they dealt in, and delivering in Boston the articles they received in trade, consisting of pork, beef, butter, etc. After being a resident of Ohio for a number of years, in 1856, he built a wooden cider mill, and began the manufacture of cider for his neighbors. Two years later he put np a four-horse mill, and began buying apples, being the first man in the vicinity, who engaged in this business. He stored at first a few barrels of vinegar, at first some fifteen or twenty in a season, until, in a few years, he put up one hundred and fifty barrels at a time. He continued this busi- ness until his death, when his son, Edwin L., snc- ceeded to it, and continues to carry it forward. He now has a fine steam-power cider mill, and in 1878, as stated above, made a large amount of cider, and stored many barrels of vinegar.
Orrin Dole, senior, was always a quiet, unobstrusive man, and a man of great energy for one who was afflicted as he was, and so great a sufferer.
The work he accomplished evinces the spirit he possessed.
D. M. HARKNESS,
capitalist, the son of Dr. David Harkness, was born at Milan, Ohio, September, 1822. His father died in 1825, when he accompanied his mother to Salem, Washington county, New York, where he lived in the home of his father's mother until the marriage of his mother with Rev. Isaac Flagler, of Seneca county,
New York. In the spring of 1837, Mr. and Mrs. Flagler removed to Toledo, Ohio, and the subject of this sketch, then a lad of fifteen, accompanied them. In the fall of the same year he came to Bellevue, and, in the following summer, entered the store of Chap- man & Harkness, in whose employ he remained until the summer of 1840, when he went to Lansingburg, New York. At that place he remained about one year, engaged as a clerk a part of the time, and part of the time as "devil" in the office of the Lansing- burg Gazette.
In 1841, he returned to Ohio and was employed by L. G. Harkness & Co., as salesman in their store at Republic, Ohio, a position he continued to hold until the spring of 1845. That his services at Republic were held in hign esteem by his employers, is attested by the fact that in the year last named, he received, much to his surprise, an invitation from the firm to join them as a partner in their large and growing business. This he did, the firm becoming Chapman, Harkness & Co. A young man of fine abilities, cor- reet habits and a laudable ambition, he applied his mind with much industry and energy to a careful study of the business, with the details of which he soon be- came familiar, and was their master. So large a meas- nre of success for the next half dozen years crowned his efforts, that he was enabled, in 1852, to purchase the entire business of Chapman, Harkness & Co. He immediately formed a copartnership with Dr. L. G. Harkness and his half-brother, H. M. Flagler, under the firm name of Harkness & Company. The busi- ness rapidly grew in extent and importance, and the firm for many years conducted a successful and ex- tensive business in general merchandise, grain and manufacturing.
In the fall of 1849, he married Isabella, daughter of Dr. L. G. Harkness, by whom he had five children. Three died in infancy, and his only daughter, Katie, an interesting child, died in February, 1864, at the age of eight years and six months. This sad event was followed by the death of his wife in July of the same year. Isabella Harkness is a loved name in Bellevue. Her kindness, active benevolence and amiability won for her universal regard. She was a woman of deep religious convictions, a devoted mnem- ber of the Congregational church, and was very ear- nest and active in every good cause and work. She lent her best energies to the support of all enterprises of a benevolent character, and was a devoted, loving daughter, wife and mother. Such is the concurrent testimony of all who knew her. Thus, in so brief a lapse of time, Mr. Harkness was bereft of those who were dearer to him than life itself; yet providence spared to him one son, William L., who bids fair to do honor to the name of Harkness. He is a young man of fine parts, just on the verge of his majority, and is now completing his collegiate studies at Yale College.
Mr. Harkness' army experience was, for the most part, that of brigade quartermaster, under General
417
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
R. P. Buckland. Returning to Bellevue in 1863, he rendered valnable service to his country by way of raising recruits and zealously and ably maintaining, by vote and voice, the cause of the Union.
After the death of his wife Mr. Harkness sold his business to H. M. Sinclair, and retired from active business life. A man of ample means, his time is mainly spent in looking after his monied investments, and, whenever a political contest is at hand, in zeal- ously aiding the cause of Republicanism. He is a
staunch party man, and undoubtedly wields more in- fluence in Republican councils than any other man in the county. He is not, and never has been, an aspi- rant for office.
Mr. Harkness is a man of excellent judgment, and his opinions of men and things are widely sought for and highly esteemed for their soundness. He is, moreover, a man of much decision of thought and character, and has no difficulty in expressing his ideas in strong, terse, fluent, and emphatic language.
NORWICH.
IN the preparation of the following sketch access , in the southeast part of the township. The whole has been had to John M. Niles' "Memoirs." Town- township was originally heavily timbered. ship number three in range twenty-four is bounded on the north by Sherman township, on the south by Richmond township, on the east by Greenfield town- ship, and on the west by Reed and Venice townships of Seneca county.
The surface features are of a general rolling nature. The highest grounds, or crests of the ridges, are all on one plane, with a northward descent. Along the streams, which run about thirty feet below the general level, the surface is more broken and uneven. The bottom lands are narrow, seldom exceeding twenty rods in width, through which the streams flow in a tortuous course.
STREAMS.
Mud run, the largest in the township, rises in Sen- eca county. It enters Norwich township near the southwest corner and flows a generally northeasterly course to lot number twenty-eight, where it curves to the northwest and crosses the northern boundary line on lot number forty. It derives its name from the maddy appearance of its banks and the absence of stone and gravel in its bed.
Slate run also rises in Seneca county, flows across the western line of the township on lot number thirty- four, runs northeasterly across section third, and unites with Mud run on lot number thirty-eight. It received its name from the slate rock over which it runs. These streams are tributary to Huron river. Other small streams exist in the township, but as they are wholly unimportant we omit description.
The soil is a clay loam, varying from light clay on the ridges to black loam between them. The whole is welladapted to agriculture. The subsoil is brick clay. A few "cat swamps," of a few acres cach, lie
" The township is situated on the outerop of the black slate rock, and occupies a middle position be- tween the sandstone on the east and the limestone on the west. The slate rock dips to the east and runs under the sandstone, which appears on the surface about five miles east, in the township of Greenfield. The limestone which lies under the slate rises to the surface about five miles west, in the township of Reed in Seneca county. Above the slate rock, for about fifteen feet, the subsoil contains a large quantity of water-worn limestone of the buff-colored variety, con- taining numerous fossils, such as coral and shellfish of many species. Along the streams are numerous sulphur springs. Sometimes they appear in the bed of the streams, and at others rise to the surface of the bottom lands, forming deer licks. Big lick, the long- est in the township, lies near the center of section four and contains nearly an acre."
ORIGINAL PROPRIETORSHIP.
On the 9th day of November, 1808, the township of Norwich received its name, and was so called, it is thought, in honor of its Connecticut namesake. At the same time it was divided, as were each of the thirty townships comprising the Fire-lands, into four sections. Norwich was drawn by nineteen persons. Roswell Saltonstall was the principal owner of sec- tions one and four, Joseph Coit of section two, and Russell Hubbard and Gurdon Saltonstall of section three. From the time the grant was made (179%) to the close of the war of 1812, many of the grantees had sold their clainis or, at their decease, left them for distribution among their heirs who, in many in- stances, sold them to speculators or suffered them to be sold for taxes.
53
418
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
For explanation of the following table, the reader er is referred to the Lyme history:
CLASSIFICATION No. 1, SECTION 1.
Original Grantees.
Am't Loss.
Classified by.
Am't Classed
Christ'r Leffingwell
0
Daniel L. Coit
19
11
5
Elizabeth Plumb
192
19
Joseph Childs
75
11
6
30
1
Ruth Harris
63
0
0
24
11
5
Elizabeth Holzworth
48
0
=
19
10
5
Hath'l Hempstead
10
3
18
0
Winth'p Saltonstall 1181
16
8
=
75
15
0
James Young
13
0
=
6
11
0
Rebeccah Church
52
11
10
12
7
Matthew Griswold
10
0
16
0
Roswell Saltonstall 1800
0
0
John Kinsman
1128
10
Footing of Classification No. 1, €1,344 7
0
CLASSIFICATION NO. 2, SECTION 2.
Original Grantees.
Am't Loss. Classified by.
Am't Classed
Joseph Coit
1298
18
5
Daniel L. Coit
18
5
Joshua L'oit
40
0
0
40
0
0
Christ'r Leffingwell
25
0
0
5
Footing of Classification No. 2, £1,344 L-
0
CLASSIFICATION NO. 3, SECTION 3.
Original Grantees.
Am't Loss.
Classified by.
Am't Classed.
Russell Hubbard
1012
0
3
Daniel L. Coit
652
5 1034
Joanna Beebe
236
6
59
0
712
Phillip Allen
9
15
. 516
4
17
33/4
Gurdon Saltonstall 1410
0
0
561
12
0
Elizabeth Plumb
197
19
0
66
10
9
Footing of Classification No. 3, £1,344 7
CLASSIFICATION No. 4, SECTION 4.
Original Grantees.
Am't Loss.
Classified by.
Am't Classed.
3
8.
d.
£
S.
d.
Roswell Saltsonstall 1800
0
0
Daniel L. Coit
589
19
034
James Pennyman
132
10
7
137
10
Jonathan Douglass 1446
14
250
3
0
Russell Hubbard 1012
0
3
359
11
414
Footing of Classification No. 4, £1,344 7 0
As early as 1815, Daniel L. Coit, son of Joseph Coit, had become, by heirship and purchase, the owner of the township of Norwich, excepting a portion of the first section. The proprietors of this were: Frederick and Thomas Kinsman, William Leppen- well, and possibly others. In 1815, Daniel L. Coit sold sections two and three, comprising the north half of the township, to Judge Canfield, of Connecticut, who soon after sold the same to James Williams, Phillip R. Hopkins, and David W. Hinman.
In the spring of 1816, Messrs. Williams, Hopkins, and Hinman surveyed the two sections into one hun- dred acre lots. These were in size one hundred and sixty rods east and west by one hundred rods north and sonth, making five tiers of eight lots each in a section, and numbering from the southeast corner of the sections. Hopkins was the surveyor. These gentlemen also laid out a village. It was named Bar- badoes, and was situated on the west end of lot thirty- eight in section second, and the adjoining portion of lot six in the third section. The survey was completed in June. The surveying party built a small log house, the first in the township, on lands now owned by Kinsman Bowen. The same year, John Williamson put up the walls and roof of a hewed log house on the village plat, near where Durwin Boughton's house now stands. That was long known as the " village house," though no other was built on the plat. Wil-
liamson neither finished the house nor occupied it; in fact, nothing further of his history is known.
INDIANS.
A small band of the Seneca Indians, with Seneca John at their head, sometimes made their camp in the township. John could speak a little English. He was honest and trusty, but others of the tribe were drunken and thievish. Their dead were usually enclosed in a bark coffin, and buried near their camp. There were a few conical mounds in the southeast part of the township when first settled. These were believed to have been burial places for the dead, and have long since disappeared.
SETTLEMENT.
In the fall of the year 1816, Chauncey Woodruff and Wilder Lawrence, with their respective families, left Saratoga county, New York, for the wilderness of Ohio. After a tedious journey, they reached Trumbull county, where they rested until the severe months of winter had passed. Chauncey Woodruff and his son, George H., came on to Norwich and selected lots for future homes. The son remained at New Haven while his father returned for the family. On the 8th of February, 1817, Woodruff and Law- rence arrived in New Haven; and, on the 10th, started, with their families, for Norwich. Accompanied by a few friends, they journeyed on, and before night ar- rived at the "village house" before mentioned. This consisted of but the walls and roof; holes had been cut for a door and fire-place. Oak puncheons had been prepared for a floor, and lay near by under the snow, which was then about one foot deep. A few were soon fished out and placed in position and a fire started. Blankets were hung up for a door, and sup- per prepared, over which the company made merry. In laying in stores for the occasion, a jng of the "ardent" had been procured, and doubtless added much to the jollity of the evening within the cabin, while without the wolves made night hideous with their incessant bowling.
Lawrence and Woodruff remained at the "village honse" until they had cleared and planted a field of corn, on lot seven, and erected for themselves log houses. Mr. Lawrence took up two hundred and twenty acres of land, in sections two and three. He built his honse on lot thirty-three, in the former sec- tion, and upon these lands he died, January 8th, 1847; his wife died five years later. The children were mine in number: Sarah, Maria, Wilder J., Hiram, Susan and Lydia, are dead. · Ebenezer married Cla- rinda Bly, and lives on the old homestead; has two children, a son and daughter. Anna married Levi Reed, and lives in Reed township, Seneca county, Ohio; and Charlotte married Edward McGloan, and lives in Henry county, Ohio.
Jesse Woodruff soon followed his brother, Chaun- cey, into the township, and began life in the wilder- ness, erecting his log cabin on lot six, section three,
£
8.
d.
3 1298
8
d.
3
8.
d.
3
S.
d
0
8.
d
d
39
9
108162 1
00
419
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERJE COUNTIES, OHIO.
now occupied by Lewis Bodelier. Chauncey Wood- ruff died in 1868.
Naum Gilson came from Saratoga county, New York, to Norwich, in June, 1817. Contracting for lot number twenty-eight, in section two, he began the construction of a hewed log house thereon. To obtain the necessary assistance at the "raising," settlers from the adjoining townships were invited. It is said that the rafters upon this house were the first raised in the township. After the house was finished, Mr. Gilson cleared a piece of ground, which he sowed to wheat, the first grown in the township. In the fall of 1818, Mr. Gilson returned to his former home, in Saratoga connty, where he soon after married Miss Sally Ormes, formerly from Massachusetts. Early in the following spring the journey to Ohio was begun. The mode of transit was the usual one of the period, viz. : a stout wagon, drawn by oxen and one horse." .A long time was consumed on the road. The streams, swollen by the spring rains, were often impassable, or at best, forded with difficulty, rendering progress slow and full of danger. A brother, Asa, with wife and two children, formed a part of the "goodlie companie" that finally reached Norwich, and became permanent settlers and prominent actors in the pioneer life of the township. Jonas Gilson, another brother, came on soon after. He settled on lot thirty-seven.
In 1820, Joel Gilson, father of the above mentioned, arrived in Norwich. He had been for years a collec- tor for the United States government of continental money, and on reaching Norwich, took up his abode on lot thirty-seven, now owned by John S. Hester. A son, John, accompanied 5him, and settled on lot twenty-seven, at present owned by Wesley Robinson.
Naum Gilson was ever interested in the welfare of the colony. He, on finding the first land contracts worthless, rode on horseback to Liverpool, Lorain county, to meet Coit, the real proprietor. He was accompanied by Jesse Woodruff, and by their efforts, arrangements were consummated, whereby the settlers were allowed to re-purchase their farms at the old rate, (two dollars per acre) they losing what they had before paid. Mr. Gilson was the first postmaster, and held the office for many years. He died June 14, 1864, aged seventy-four years. Mrs. Gilson died March 2, 1876, aged eighty-five years. The children are as follows: Giles James, who died young; Elon W., ex-treasurer of Huron county, who married Betsey M. McKelvey, resides at Norwalk; have two chil- dren: Arza B., who married Eliza A. Baker, of Medina county, and lives on the old homestead. His family consists of one child, "Little Dot," and a niece, Miss Ella S. Baker. Mr. Gilson is connected with the musical association of the county, and is its president. The writer is under obligations to this gentleman for material aid in the collecting of data for this history. The remaining children of Naum Gilson are: Sarah A., who married E. P. Halliday, resides in Wood county, Ohio; Eugenia M., who married Dr. Abram De Groff, lives in Grand Ledge,
Michigan, and Ardelia A., who married S. W. Owen, and resides in Norwalk, this county.
During the summer of 1817, Hosea Harnden began life on lot thirty-seven, section two, now owned by John S. Hester.
On the 13th of February, 1818, John Fletcher, Bartholomew Rossman and Benjamin Moore moved their families into the surveyor's house in the north- west part of the township. John Fletcher began on lot thirty-eight, afterwards owned by Peter Brown, B. Rossman made a commencement on lot thirty-one, same section, while Moore settled on lot twenty-three, and, as fast as possible, erected cabins on their pos- sessions and removed their families from their cramped and uncomfortable quarters in the surveyor's house. The same year, Elisha Ellis began on lot twenty- eight; Augustus Cook, of whom more anon, began on lot thirty-nine; Beckwith Cook settled on lot forty.
In 1819, Asa Gilson located on lot thirteen, section three, where his widow, Aunt Nabby, still lives. The following came this year: Jabez F. Ivory, Daniel Farman, James Loomis, Loab Lindsey, Alvin Blod- gett, Dr. Hurlbert, and possibly others.
The settlers were poor and bought their land on credit. No deeds had been given, and a written agreement constituted the title. A few acres of clearing, or perhaps a log cabin, constituted their only property. These were often bartered to new comers for a little money, or, perhaps, a team or a rifle .. Trading lots and moving from one to another, when they had so little to move, was almost as easily done as swapping rifles, and it was not uncommon for two or three individuals to succeed each other on the same lot in as many years.
In 1820 or '21, a difficulty broke out about the title to the land, that nearly ruined the settlement. When Daniel L. Coit sold the north half of the township to Judge Canfield, in 1815, it was on a credit of ten years. A deed was given and a mortgage taken on the land for security. He became dissatisfied with Canfield's management, commenced suit against him to recover the title, enjoined Williams, Hopkins and Hinman from making further sales, and caused writs of ejectment to be served upon all the settlers who had taken possession under them. Williams, Hop- kins and Hinman becoming satisfied that their title was worthless, sought a compromise that they might save themselves the expense of surveying the land. They, however, failed, and were finally obliged to abandon the enterprise.
The litigation continued until 1826. Coit recov- ered the title, but nearly all the settlers had gone. Those who remained were: Wilder Lawrence, Jonas Gilson, George H. Woodruff, Jesse Woodruff, Naum Gilson, Augustus Cook and Asa Gilson. They had made no more improvements than were necessary to furnish them a living; for they expected to be com- pelled to pay for not only the land, but what im- provements they had made, should the territory be again put into the market. The deserted fields soon
420
HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.
grew up to briars and bushes, and the fences and cabins passed into ruins.
In the spring of 1827, Coit re-surveyed the two sections, and sold the land to the settlers, old and new, at the rate of two dollars per acre. New set- tlers came in, and those who had remained through the stampede began improvements in earnest, laying out roads, setting out orchards, etc., feeling assured there was no further danger of losing the product of those ten years of labor and hardship.
John Bowen, from Marion county, this State, was among these settlers. He married Christina Robin- son and settled on lot twenty-three, section three, building his log house a few rods east of the site of his present comfortable home. Mr. Bowen built the second brick kiln in the township, and for many years prosecuted the business. This venerable couple have eight children, all living: Martha Jane, Agnes, John M., William K., Henry C., Sarah E., George and Melinda C.
Frederick Gorham came from Vermont, and with a wife and three children, settled on lot twenty-seven, Norwich township, in 1828. This farm is now owned by David Nichols.
In 1830, the first section began to settle. Ebenezer Brown made a commencement on the lot now owned by A. F. Rulisson. Zachariah Burrell erected his log cabin on the lot afterwards owned by John Gunns. Ezra Pruden and family, consisting of a wife and eleven children, came from the State of New York to Ohio, in 1831. He located on lot number thirty-six, where he remained until his death, in 1854. His wife had died, in 1849. Of the children, we are able to give the following: John, the eldest, married Ann Ennis, and lives in Toledo, Ohio. Silas married Sally Thompson; he lives in Michigan. Ezra, Jr., married Naomi Adaline Owen; he lives on lot thirty- four, section four. They have two children: Charles F., and Charlotte A. William married Maria Pratt, and lives in Indiana; and Jonas, who lives in Putnam county. The following children are dead: Mary, Elizabeth, Gabriel, Eugene, Benjamin and Rachel.
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