USA > Ohio > Portage County > Portage heritage; a history of Portage County, Ohio; its towns and townships and the men and women who have developed them; its life, institutions and biographies, facts and lore > Part 23
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In 1900 Streetsboro had six districts as follows: Center, Cackler, Moran, Doolittle, Wise and Kennedy Road. Schools were centralized in 1905 and
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horse drawn buses first used. A build- ing went up at the Center, replaced in 1950 by another. High school pup- ils attend Aurora High School, being transported there. The 1955 enroll- ment was 510.
SUFFIELD - In 1807 Harvey Hul- bert presided over a school of nine pupils. In the summer of 1809, Laura Moore (Mrs. Thomas Hale) had a school of six pupils in the same house where Hulbert taught in 1807.
Later there were eight local districts as follows: Logtown, Smokey Row, Mishlers, Central, Porter, Five Cor- ners, Cramers and Swartz. These dis- tricts were consolidated in 1923, with a new school house at the Center.
In 1955 Suffield's enrollment was 658 with 24 teachers. A building pro- gram was under way in 1956 which would make available a school plant of 32 rooms. Some of Suffield's pupils attend school in Mogadore which lies partly within Portage County.
WINDHAM - The first Windham school was taught gratuitously in the Alpheus Streator home by his daugh- ter Eliza and Rebecca Conant, daugh- ter of Thatcher Conant in 1811-12. A log school house was built in 1812 followed later by a "stove" school. Dr. Chaffee was a teacher with 20
pupils. Helping in education was a Library Association in 1824 and about 1834 an Educational Association was formed and an academy building was put up. The academy was opened in 1835 by John F. Hopkins. It ran for several years.
In 1900 Windham Township had
eight districts as follows: Center Special, Aston Road, Adrian Sherman, Al Ebert, Stanley Parker, Stanley Road, Mahoning Corners, Tom Shank. These districts were gradually consolidated with the Center and by 1904 only Nos. 2 and 7 remained.
In addition to having some of the earliest township school consolidations, Portage County pioneered in the federa- tion of rural churches. In 1920 it was reported that there were federations of churches in Edinburg, Garrettsville, Streetsboro, Aurora and Wayland.
In 1915, Davis & Case of Ravenna ad- vertised Maxwell touring cars at $695.00 each, with an electric starter at $55.00 extra.
The first Ohio territorial road act re- quired ten days work annually from every able-bodied male, 16 years of age or over, to construct new roads.
Almeda A. Booth
"The smartest woman that ever came from this county, or the Western Reserve," was the tribute paid to Almeda Booth, a native of Nelson. This may or may not have been the truth, as enthusiastic friends maintained, but certainly she was among the smartest. Born in Nelson in 1823, she was a sort of child prodigy in her ability to grasp the essentials of education. She easily mastered mathematics, Greek and other subjects considered difficult. In 1835, her family moved to Mantua. She became a teacher of James A. Garfield and later an associate teacher at Hiram, and is credited with having a strong influence on his life. Her powerful mind and high character made her an interesting and influential person. She had the ability of drawing out the best in her students. After teaching at Hiram for about fourteen years she went to Cuyahoga Falls to teach in the schools there for another fifteen years. There she was also admired for her ability and influence. She is still remembered at Hiram as one of the college's most forceful teachers.
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These went in later. A brick building was erected in 1927.
In recent years fine new school buildings have been erected, befitting the great growth of the village, gov- ernment aid was received. By 1956 there were over 1200 pupils in the grades and 500 in the high school. R. Brown Jenkins was superintendent several years.
Under new Ohio school laws of the time, the Portage County school dis- trict was organized in 1914. J. H. Roy- er was first president of the county board; M. E. Thorpe, secretary. J. J. Jackson became permanent president. H. B. Turner was the first county sup- erintendent. Calvin P. Rausch has been county superintendent since 1935. An annual booklet called the "Speedometer" has been published since 1918, succeeding the previous "Sextet."
In higher education, Kent State University and Hiram College are treated separately.
In compiling a summary of Educa- tion and its development in Portage County, one finds difficulty in most townships of finding records of im- portance since 1885. The trend in the county as observed by most contribu- tors, is towards continued consolida- tion of rural schools. The outstanding examples of such a trend are Crest- wood Schools, James A. Garfield Schools, and Southeast Schools.
Acknowledgments are due the fol- lowing:
Mrs. Glen Stahl, George Hettinger, Iva Hatfield, Edith Merrell, A. H. Hartzell, Paul Pfeiffer, John Cropp, Merle E. Doud, Mrs. Harvey Stutz, Mrs. Earl Goodsell, Mrs. T. O. Grif- fiths, Harry Dundon, Edith Cook Roosa, Howard Wise, Mrs. Ruth Cook, Mrs. Eloise Bower, L. L. Burk- hart, Sherman B. Barnes, Mrs. Ken- neth Swigart, Mrs. Joe Knight, Mary Cipriano, Mrs. Walter Marik, John Lowrie and Thos. O. Griffiths, the later being especially active in this research.
Real Public Assistance
The following unique document is from the Township Records of Freedom of 1841:
"The State of Ohio, Portage County, Freedom Township, L.S." To Justice Francis, Constable of said township, Greeting: "Whereas we, the undersigned, overseers of the poor of Freedom Township, have received information that there is lately come into said township, a certain poor and indolent man, named Leonard Greeley, who is not a legal resident thereof, and will be likely to become a Township charge, you are hereby com- manded forthwith to warn said Leonard Greeley to depart out of said township, and of this warrant make service as the law directs. Given under our hands this 25th day of March, 1841."
Simon Landfear Lucius Wood Overseers of the poor of Freedom Township.
(Returned)
"I certify that I served this warrant by leaving a copy at the residence of the said Leonard Greeley on the 25th day of March, 1841.
James Francis, Constable."
This Leonard Greeley was an uncle of Horace Greeley, the famous editor.
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Ray Clark's home in Windham, built in 1817. First Windham post- office was located here in 1818.
Captain Henry Of Geauga
Charles E. Henry of Geauga Lake was widely known in Portage County where many of his activities centered, although he lived on the Geauga County side of the line. He owned a large farm in Bainbridge township. His career was a remarkable one. A grad- uate of Hiram Electic Institute he fought in the Civil War in the same regiment with Garfield, with whom he had a strong friendship. At one time he was provost judge in New Orleans. After the war Capt. Henry spent some time in Texas as a master for the Texas & Pacific railroad. Later he was a U. S. marshal in Cleveland and District of Columbia and he was active in the prosecution of Guiteau, slayer of Garfield. On two occasions he was sent to South America in pursuit of criminals. He got his men but be- cause of lack of extradition laws, could not bring them back. He then talked the men into coming back voluntarily. His wife was Sophia Williams, a Shalersville and Ravenna woman. Capt. Henry was long a trustee of Hiram College, where his daughter, Marcia, was an instructor many years. A son, Frederick A., was a judge in Cleveland and wrote an interesting book about his father's life, entitled "Captain Henry of Geauga." A grand- son, Charles A. Henry, is currently assistant to the president at Hiram College.
Portage County's oldest citizen of rec- ord was Mrs. Elizabeth Byers, of Edin- burg, who reached the age of 107. George W. Austin died in Ravenna at the age of 106, in 1915. Comrade John Grate died in Atwater at the age of 104 in 1949.
In Randolph Josiah Ward owned the first plow. His neighbors had none and all borrowed it when possible. Some had to do their plowing at night.
Under the state law tax assessors of 1907 got $2.00 per day for their work.
CHAPTER XIV Industry
By J. B. HOLM
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It is difficult to give an exact ac- count of the development of manu- facturing and industry in Portage County. Beginnings are obscure. First settlers probably were the original "do-it-yourself" people. They had to be, for here necessity truly was the mother of invention. A householder might contrive a rude tool, or appli- ance, for himself and if a neighbor liked it and wanted one, another was made, and this could be called the start of industry. They were just as much business men then as now, with an eye open to make a little some- thing whenever they could do so. They also remembered how mills and industry were set up and run "back East."
Shelter and rough furniture were first needed. These were put together with the use of the commonest of tools-axe, draw shave, and sometimes a saw and hammer. Even fire was put to use, as when a section of log was burned out to make a storage bin, or to make boats as the Indians did.
As Mantua was the first township settled, so was it also the first town- ship to have what could be called a mill. Rufus Edwards set up a primi- tive hand grist and saw mill there in 1799. The place soon had a tannery (1802) and distillery in 1809, with another in 1819. The Ladd glass fac- tory ran there for a time. An ashery was established in 1818, and at various times later, pail and basket factories. The well known Centennial Flour
Mills came in 1876, with the oil pumping station in the '80s. Today the Samuel Moore Co. and Tom Moore Tractors operate there.
MILLS WERE SMALL
Everywhere grist and saw mills were usually established first, or sim- ultaneously, usually followed by dis- tilleries, tanneries and others. An old- er history lists the "firsts" of saw and grist mills as follows: Deerfield, 1801, James Laughlin; Aurora, about 1802, Ebenezer Sheldon; Ravenna, 1802, Alexander McWhorter; Atwater, 1805, Capt. Hart; Nelson and Garrettsville, 1805, John Garrett; Randolph, 1808, Josiah Ward; Rootstown, 1808, Ephri- am Root; Suffield, 1805, John Fritch; Hiram, 1807, Lemuel Punderson for John Law; Franklin, 1807, Haymaker family; Edinburg, 1816, Campbell & Eddy; Freedom, 1828, Elihu Paine; Shalersville, 1812-14, Stephen Mason; Charlestown, about 1810, by a com- pany; Streetsboro, 1825, David John- son; Windham, 1813, Earl & Yale.
First saw mills were crude and slow affairs. They used straight rip saws operated up and down by walking beams, making little better progress than a hand power saw, but could run straight through logs lengthwise. The buzz saw did not come until later.
Aurora had a brick works in 1809. Its first grist mill came in 1813, and later had so many saw mills that it be- came known as "Slab City." Other
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early shops there were a woolen mill, chair factory, violin factory and in 1852, an early cheese factory. In At- water, David Glass had a saw mill with cattle power operation. The At- water Coal Co. had quite a respectable business later.
Brimfield's first industry appears to have been a combined saw mill and nail factory in 1818. Charlestown had, in addition to its first saw mill, an auger factory at what is now Aug- erburg hamlet.
TANNERIES IMPORTANT
Rootstown had a pottery as early as 1808, owned by E. Bostwick. In Deerfield, there was a grist mill as early as 1801. Noah Grant started a tannery in Deerfield in 1805 and few years later his son Jesse had a tannery of his own there. The Portage Oil Co. was organized in Deerfield in the '70s to locate and exploit oil wells. Coal mining was not started in Deer-
field until the '80s, although Palmyra had mines before this.
Garrettsville's first grist and saw mills of 1805 had little competition for a while. The Garrettsville grist mill was established in 1832, and in 1865, Udall & Haskins put up a pail factory. Considerable wood working was done in various small shops and the Success Evaporator Works came to Garrettsville in 1872. The Garretts- ville Foundry was put in operation by Curtiss, King & Co. in 1836, and ran many years. The Polson Rubber Co. today is the town's largest plant and the Nylon Manufacturing Co. is also located there. A flourishing basket factory has also been in operation ·as well.
Palmyra had a saw and grist mill in 1828 and by 1885 four good sized coal mines were in operation. Wind- ham had a saw mill in 1813 and a cabinet shop in 1829 by Henry Can- field. A flour mill was put up in 1860
Inter-Urban Amity Shaken
Rivalry between Ravenna and Kent was quite strong up until the early part of this century. It often cropped out, not only in sports but in politics, business and even between individuals.
In 1910, a committee chosen by the state legislature was visiting towns which were candidates for the proposed normal school. This committee visited each town. Kent and Ravenna were in line, and the committee planned to visit both on the same day-Kent about 9 a.m. and Ravenna about 11 a.m., where the committee would be met by local reception groups. The Kent group showed the committee the proposed site, taking their time to it. The committee was then invited to a "fish fry" at Twin Lakes. The invitation was so cordial, they couldn't resist. The fish fry proved to be a long drawn out affair, just as intended.
Meantime the Ravenna welcoming committee had assembled by the Etna House and waited patiently. Eleven o'clock passed, then twelve. The greeters were pretty angry, but about one o'clock a couple of cars chugged up bearing the state committee with a few Kentites, who were apologetic but were unable to conceal their mirth over the discom- fiture of the Ravenna people. The state committee chairman then explained they wouldn't have much time for Ravenna as the committee was due in Warren at three o'clock. Ra- venna people felt that it was a "put up job", in which their town lost out, though it is likely that Kent would have gotten the prize anyhow, in view of other factors. But ill feeling remained for a long time.
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QUAKER MILLS OAT MEAL
Birthplace of a famous breakfast food, Ravenna
by Robert Higley. Today, the Indus- trial Silica and the Harbison-Walker Refractories are in operation there.
Nelson has several plants devoted to sand and gravel production, de- veloped in recent years.
Randolph had quite a few early shops, including grist and saw mills and a distillery. The Randolph Flour Mill was established in 1870. Keller Bros. Machine Shop & Foundry was busy for 40 years after 1845. In 1810, Shalersville had a tannery run by Moses Carpenter. In Suffield, in ad- dition to the grist and saw mills, car- riage shops were running and there was a Swiss cheese operator. Today, most industrial activity there is in the shops of the Goodyear Aircraft Co. at Wingfoot Lake.
The various cheese factories of the county must also be considered manu- facturing plants. The number varied, but at one time there is said to have been about 50 in the county. Their total business represented many thou- sands of dollars.
A basket factory has been busy at Wayland for many years.
Hiram had few factories, even on a small scale, but there was considerable activity at the Rapids.
ACTIVITIES IN KENT
After factories increased, many communities saw the advantage of having industries in their midst. Towns made overtures to industries seeking locations and sometimes in- dustries made overtures to towns, ask- ing help. Often good and substantial industries were located that way, but sometimes results were not so good. Factories come and go for various legitimate reasons but the experience of Kent in boosting industry in times has not been always good.
In 1836-37 a group of promoters organized the Franklin Land Co. and the Franklin Silk Co. there. Because of the water power and other ad- vantages they envisioned a city burst- ing into life. They sold the idea to the public. It was a wild boom period.
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Lots were laid out and sold at good prices. It was fantastic. The proposed silk mill was projected on the ability of imported silk worms to thrive on imported mulberry trees. But unfore- seen was the behavior of the silk worms. They did not produce. The panic of 1837 came on. The whole scheme collapsed and investors and speculators lost much money. Some of the shock was absorbed by the building of the P. & O. Canal at that time.
TRY AGAIN
But local pride is always hopeful. In 1891, Kent municipality was in- duced to bond itself for $100,000 for locating new industries there. The re- sult was nothing but trouble. A few short lived industries came, litigation resulted and before it was over, more than $200,000 in public money had been spent, with the whole town smarting from "burnt fingers", so to speak.
In 1915, O. M. and D. M. Mason, salesmen and promoters, arrived to pro- mote a rubber tire factory. It was the period of expansion in that industry. The sum of $100,000 was subscribed by the public. A factory was built and for about ten years did a steady busi- ness, employing several hundred men. But competition was keen. Internal trouble developed and in 1928 the company went into the hands of a receiver, closing down for good. Or- iginal investors got little or nothing.
In 1927, money was raised to buy a lot on which the L. N. Gross Co., garment makers, could build a fac- tory. A factory was built on North River St. but after operating a few years, closed and operations were taken elsewhere.
Other industries that were given as- sistance in locating here, turned out
better and developed into substantial businesses.
Kent had a great variety of early shops. The first, of course, was the Haymaker grist mill, set up in 1807, using native "nigger head" stones for grinding. Elisha Stevens then put in a saw mill in 1814. A real boom came in 1818 when Joshua Woodard came from Ravenna and united with Frede- rick Haymaker to establish a woolen factory, a cabinet shop and lathes for turning. All were small affairs. In 1823, Woodard, Hopkins & Ladd brought the Ladd Glass factory here from Mantua, where it first set up in 1821. They also established a tannery, a woolen factory, an ashery and a saw mill, and later an anvil mill-alto- gether quite an addition to the town. The firm dissolved in 1831. Early Kent industry is more fully described in the Kent chapter.
TO MAKE COTTON GOODS
The Kents of Ravenna entered in- dustrial life in Franklin Mills in the '40s. In 1848, the Kent Cotton Co., set up by the Kents, was organized. They also established a glass factory at that time. But the cotton mill never start- ed, nor did a later one of that name in 1851. The Kents also established a tannery in which John Brown, the abolitionist, had a stake. The Frank- lin Mfg. Co. was another Kent enter- prise, planned to manufacture wool, cotton, and flax products.
In 1867 the Kent Woolen Co. was formed, but lasted briefly. Of more interest was the fact that in 1879, Joseph Turner took over and ran the "Alpaca" mill. Latter it became Turn- er & Sons and ran until 1889 when the business was moved to Cleveland to become the Cleveland Worsted Mills, with later plants in Ravenna.
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Crown Flint Glass Works, Important in Ravenna in the 1880s.
The Franklin Glass Co. was formed in 1851 and in 1867, another glass company with the same name came on. The Day, Williams & Co., glass manufacturers, came in 1864 and for many years was quite important.
For many years the most important industry in Kent was the Erie R. R. repair shops. These shops were es- tablished in 1864, for repairing and building cars. Around 400 men were employed. In 1927 these shops were partially closed and in 1930 the equip- ment was moved away.
The Franklin Lathe Co. operated for a short time after 1859.
The Railway Speed Recorder Co. was formed in 1875 and was busy un- til 1904, when it was bought and moved away.
FLOUR MILLS POPULAR
Kent had a number of flouring mills. The Center Flour Mill, well known, established itself along the river uptown. The Peerless Roller Mills were set up in 1879 and this concern later became the Williams Brothers, still operating today.
In 1866 the Parsons Planing Mill commenced business and in 1884 the
Franklin Steam Saw Mill was estab- lished. The J. B. Miller Keyless Lock Co. started in 1888, operating until 1944, when the C. L. Gougler Co. took it over. In 1889 the Standing Rock Co. made umbrellas.
In 1879 the Kearney & Foot File Works was set up and ran for a few years and in 1891 the Royal Machine Co., making ice machines, was started. The United Milk Products Co. arrived in 1900 and ran quite a while.
The Seneca Chain Co. flourished at the beginning of the century. This company's plant was the site of the later Twin Coach Co. Established in 1901, its products were widely sold and many skilled workmen were used. But in 1909 the factory burned down.
In 1920, Thomart Motors took over the old Seneca Chain plant, but the Fageol Coach Co. took over the build- ings in 1924, and the Twin Coach Co. succeeded it in 1927.
LAMB ELECTRIC CO.
Of Kent's industries today, probab- ly the largest, at least in point of em- ployment, is the Lamb Electric Co., makers of small motors. This business
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started here in 1929, when the old Mason fabric plant was taken over by the Black & Decker Electric Co. and operated as the Domestic Electric Co. It has operated steadily since that time, although later it became the Lamb Electric Co. R. J. Lamb was the first president, with M. H. Spielman and W. H. Poesse as vice presidents in charge of operations. There are three plants in the city.
In 1924, F. R. and W. B. Fageol, brothers, came here and established the Fageol Motors, manufacturers of motor coaches. They did well but in 1925, sold out to the American Car & Foundry who moved operations to Detroit. The Fageols went with them but meantime developed a new type of public bus which they called the Twin Coach. In 1927 they returned to Kent and in the same location as be- fore, started the manufacture of this vehicle as the Twin Coach Co. Other types of motor vehicles were develop- ed and in World War II much govern- ment work was done here in airplane parts work. The company has an air- plane parts section in Buffalo today. The home plant was occupied recent- ly in putting out a new type of mail delivery truck known as the "pony express". A subsidiary, Fageol Pro- ducts, operates near the main plant. In 1956, Twin Coach leased a large part of its plant to the Purolator Co.
LAMSON & SESSIONS CO.
In 1906 the Falls Rivet & Machine Co., of Cuyahoga Falls, bought the plant of the defunct Nicholson File Co. and started manufacturing there. Financial difficulties were encounter- ed and in 1914 the plant was sold at sheriff's sale to T. King of Boston, chief creditor, who reorganized the company and resumed business as the Falls Rivet Co., with Roy H. Smith
general manager. In 1921 the Falls Rivet merged with the Lamson-Ses- sions Co. of Cleveland, and is today one of the principal plants of this con- cern. The shop is located on Moga- dore Rd. and nuts, bolts, and cotter pins are put out. The company oper- ates plants in other cities. Manage- ment today is A. M. Smith and R. L. Salter.
Though not an industry in the us- ual sense, the Davey Tree Expert Co. has been an important force in Kent. It was incorporated in 1910 to better handle the growing tree expert busi- ness, which is carried on over the entire country from headquarters. Several hundred men are employed in all and the amount of business is large. John Davey was first president with Martin L. Davey general man- ager. Expansion of the business was largely due to the energy of the lat- ter. Heading the company today is Martin L. Davey, Jr.
One of Kent's steadiest and oldest continuous industries is the present Williams Bros. Co., millers. First start- ed in 1879 as the Peerless Roller Mills, it first operated with water power. It did general milling but after remodel- ing became necessary, main attention has been given to flour. At present its product is sold mainly to large baking concerns. The original proprietors were Chas. A. and S. T. Williams. Heading the firm at present is Dudley A. Williams, the secretary being J. S. Green.
The Davey Compressor Co. was formed in 1929 to develop and manu- facture inventions of Paul H. Davey Sr., in the field of air compression machinery. The plant is now located in the old Erie shop buildings. The company has enjoyed remarkable suc- cess in its field, the products being
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available for a wide variety of work. During the late war much was done for the government. P. H. Davey is president and J. T. Meyers is general manager.
C. L. GOUGLER CO.
Loeblein of Kent, Inc.'s plant oc- cupied the historic "Alpaca mill." It came to Kent in 1928 for the purpose of making high-grade, custom built living room furniture and has been in operation since then. Its products were sold over a wide territory. True T. Loeblein was president and Dar- rell D. Loeblein secretary-treasurer. The factory was discontinued here in 1957.
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