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 35
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91
In Woman's World
In 1881 Kittie Sherman of Charles- town made a quilt of 1841 pieces.
In 1878 five widows of the five Judd brothers were all living in Ravenna, the brothers being Harrison, Daniel, Charles, Zenas and Lester.
Plush coats were very popular for wo- man in the '70s, '80s and '90s.
Mrs. Nellie Thayer of Garrettsville is said to have been the first woman in the county to cast a ballot in a general elect- ion. In 1920 she cast an absentee voter's ballot, prior to leaving for Florida.
Miss Emma Vaders of Ravenna was a widely known actress. She played with the Booth-Barrett combination, and with Keene. This was about 1900.
Miss Susan Goodrich was an early car- pet weaver in Freedom, but she was also the community undertaker for half a century. It is said that she prepared a casket without any handles or ornaments to be used at her own funeral.
In 1831 Orsamus Drake and wife of Freedom planned a visit to their old home in Massachussetts. Mrs. Drake wanted to look well and decided to replenish her wardrobe. She had her husband take twelve bushels of wheat to Garrettsville where they were traded for twelve yards of calico. From this Mrs. Drake made two gowns which she wore on the trip East.
Most of the Portage County women settlers of New England ancestry made bread of the kind known as "salt rising." Many of the families never used any other kind.
CHAPTER XXIV Edinburg
BY MRS. C. J. WALVOORD
The history of Edinburg began with the purchase of the land in the township by General William Hart, of Saybrook, Connecticut. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the history of all of the townships on the Western Reserve began when they were laid out in five mile squares, with roads crossing at the center. This unique plan brought churches, schools and business places together at the center of the township, made each distinct political unit, and has influ- enced the history of the Western Re- serve to this day.
This twenty-five square miles of land, together with holdings which General Hart is said to have had in other counties, cost him a total of $20,000.
General Hart never came here to live, but later gave the entire north- east quarter of the township to his nephew, Richard Hart, who came in 1817 to inspect his holdings, returned to marry his sweetheart, and came back to stay in 1818. There were ap- parently a number of descendents of the Hart family and Richard seems to have been a prominent citizen, be- cause, for a time the township was called "Hart and Mother."
The first resident was Ebert Abbott, also from Connecticut, who settled on the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of the township in 1811. He stayed only a short time before he was crippled by a falling tree. Later his wife died and Mr. Abbott moved to Ravenna.
NAMED FOR EDDY FAMILY
Soon after Abbott, came Lemuel Chapman, Jr., who was related to Ab- bott by marriage. He settled on the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of the township. His father lived just over the line in Rootstown. Mr. Chapman returned to Connecti- cut for his wife and six children, but while he was there, his wife died. He brought the children back with him and raised them with the help of rel- atives and friends. He was married twice later and altogether had 15 children.
In February, 1815, the families of Alanson and Justin Eddy came all the way from Connecticut in sleighs, and settled in the northwest quarter of the township, Justin on the farm long known as Highland Home, and Alan- son farther south. They must have been influential citizens, for the town- ship soon became known as Eddyburg. This was later contracted into Edin- burg.
STAGE ARMY HUNT
In the following years, people ar- rived more rapidly and the names Clark, Botsford, Canfield, Trow- bridge, Bostwick, Ruggles, McArthur, Cowell, Calvin, and Gilbert, are men- tioned in the early history. Few of these names are familiar now, but older residents remember well the descendents of these families.
An interesting incident concerns an "Army Hunt", in December, 1819. The southern part of Edinburg had
311
312
PORTAGE HERITAGE
Ice cutting scene in early 1900s. This one was at Brady Lake.
not been settled as early as the north, and it became, with the northern part of Atwater, the stage for the hunt. Trumpets sounded and the hunters encircled the territory. When they finished, they had 103 deer, 21 bears, 18 wolves, and 500 turkeys, which were divided among the hunters. Edinburg had its rattlesnakes, too, and snake hunts were frequent. Seventy- two were said to have been killed in one day near the Justin Eddy place.
On April 5, 1819, the first election was held. There were 16 taxpayers in the township, and twenty votes were cast. Edmund Bostwick, Justin Eddy and Daniel Trowbridge were judges of the election, where the following township officers were chosen: Trus- tees; Alanson Eddy, Daniel Trow- bridge and Edmund Bostwick. Clerk; Justin Eddy. Fence Viewers; Emoch Martin and Benjamin Brown. Over- seers of the Poor; Amasa Canfield and Robert Calvin. Supervisors; Lemuel Chapman, Jr., Justin Eddy, and Rich- ard Hart. Constables; Daniel Trow- bridge and Benjamin Brown. Treas- urer; Richard Hart.
MILITARY ROAD BUILT
In addition to the roads which ran
north and south, and east and west, crossing at Edinburg Center, there was a military road built about 1802, which crossed the township from northwest to southeast, intersecting the other roads near the center. This was part of a road from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, and later became known as the Cleveland-Wellsville Turnpike. This road affected the history of the township from the time it was built until it became Route 14 in the auto- mobile era, when it intersected Route 18 between Akron and Youngstown.
In 1840, a canal was constructed just north of the border of the township. Much of the stone for building the canal came from quarries in Edinburg. It is said that before the canal was in operation it was difficut to sell wheat for twenty-five cents a bushel, but, with the coming of the canal, the price rose to one dollar.
The Cleveland-Pittsburgh branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad was com- pleted across the southwest corner of the township in 1852. For many years a train stopped morning and evening at a little settlement called Industry, which boasted a store and a postoffice combined. There have never been any
313
PORTAGE HERITAGE
other railway accomodations in Edin- burg Township.
In the early part of the twentieth century, interurban street cars afford- ed some more convenient transporta- tion, but these were still some distance from most residents of Edinburg. One track followed parallel to the Cleve- land and Pittsburgh Railroad between Ravenna and Alliance, and another from Ravenna to Warren followed the old canal bed .
DAVIS POST HOUSE
The earliest public transportation was by stage coach. There were stage routes over both the Akron-Youngs- town and the Cleveland-Pittsburgh highways. The post house was owned and operated by William Davis, who first built a log house on the south side of what is now route 18, and later built the big house now known as Elio's Truck Stop. This home was something of an Inn for many years, from the time when the owners got up at night to meet the stage and sort the mail, to a much later date. Sales- men would come to Atwater or Ra- venna by train, hire a horse and buggy at the livery stable, and drive through the country to contact merchants or farmers.
Teachers and students from a dis- tance also boarded in the Davis home, then owned by Dexter, whose wife, Frances, was mother to all who en- tered her home. The first telephone in Edinburg was a pay phone in this house and the children frequently earned nickels and dimes for deliver- ing messages.
Other homes which provided meals and lodging in the days before auto- mobiles and bus service included the spacious home of Jack White, on Route 18, and later that of Lucy and Cora Byers, on Route 14.
Since the earliest settlers were from New England, it is natural that they should immediately begin to look after their spiritual interests. The first sermon is believed to have been de- livered by a Reverend Damon about 1812. From that time on there were occasional visits from itinerant min- isters.
MISSIONARIES CALL MEETING
On. Jan. 9, 1823, the Congregational Church was organized. The church records, which are very complete, state: "Brethren Pitkin and Storrs, missionaries, met in Edinburg for the purpose of organizing a church; and at a meeting appointed for the pur- pose, after uniting in prayer for the direction and blessing of God, the fol- lowing persons presented themselves for examination with a view to their being formed into a church: viz., Ed- mund Bostwick, with Aurilla, his wife; Rachel, the wife of Alanson Eddy; Nancy, the wife of Amasa Can- field; and Betsy, the wife of Green- bury Keen; with letters from the church in Charlestown; Benjamin Car- ter; from the church in Canfield, and Sally, his wife; and Ethiel Strong, from the church in Warren, Conn."
Until 1831, the church held meet- ings at the school house. On Dec. 19 of that year they decided to purchase a piece of ground as well as the school building, which was moved and re- modeled.
In the early days, discipline was very strict. The record says that in 1838, a Mr. Edwin Eddy was put out of the church for "riding on the Sab- bath Day" and "neglecting public worship."
In 1826, three years after the Con- gregational, a Methodist church was organized. A small building was start- ed in 1834 and finished in 1837. It
314
PORTAGE HERITAGE
was remodeled and made into quite a nice building and rededicated in 1866.
CHURCHES INCREASE
Pastors were assigned by the con- ference and often served two or three other churches. In later years the churches at Yale and Palmyra were a part of the parish, but some people remember when the minister preached in Atwater, and others when he preached in Charlestown.
There are no records of the early days of the Methodist church to be found. It is thought that they may have been lost when the parsonage burned in 1890. Some of the earlier members include Jacob Phile, Augus- tus Booth, Dr. Fry, Harry Botsford, and Alfred Goss.
Among the ministers who served the church was the father of the noted singing evangelist and hymn writer, E. O. Excell.
For a number of years, the little church of the Disciples of Christ stood on the Cleveland-Pittsburgh turnpike, just southeast of its intersection with the Edinburg-Atwater road. Of its be- ginning, the "History of the Disciples on the Western Reserve" has this to say:
"Edinburg, Portage County - In 1865 a church of thirty members was planted here by S. S. Chapman, with William Cowell and Cyrus Turnbull as elders; Jesse Rogers and George Stump, deacons. Succeeding helps (from other churches) E. B. Wake- field, F. M. Green, B. Q. Baker, D. C. Hanselman. Present number: seven- five. (This was in 1875). Linus Rogers, preacher. Three preachers, brothers, have arisen here, viz., Edwin Rogers, Linus Rogers, and W. H. Rogers, son of Jesse Rogers.
STUDENT PASTORS
Judging from the records available, the church membership never rose much above that sixty-five. Most of the pastors were students from Hiram College who drove the fifteen miles in a buggy or sleigh, often preached two sermons on Sunday, called on the sick, were entertained sometimes in three different homes, and returned to Hiram on Monday to resume their studies. The remuneration seems to have been from five to eight dollars a trip, and sometimes the student came for whatever the offering was.
Shifting population brought chang- es. This movement almost depleted the membership of the Disciples' Church. People came from other places, but they joined other churches. Finally, on Oct. 25, 1913, a meeting was held at which it was decided to sell the property and divide the proceeds equally between the Christian Wo- man's Board of Missions and the Church Extension Board. Mrs. Ora Shively was appointed to issue church letters to those who wished to join other churches.
Among the early churches not pre- viously noted were three small United Brethren Churches in or very near the border of Edinburg. One was at Yale and one at Campbellsport and the third at "Bloody Corners" near the Charlestown line on the Charlestown- Edinburg road. Methodists later took over at Yale and pastors from Edin- burg preached there until the union of the Edinburg churches.
UNITE SERVICES
Rev. P. J. Henness was called to serve the Congregational Church, while at the same time he purchased, with his brother-in-law, a store in Ra- venna, which took much of his time. The Methodist Church was served by
315
PORTAGE HERITAGE
Nathan Goss
Rev. Kennedy, who also had three other preaching points. Even with two ministers living in the commun- ity, its religious needs were not ade- quately served.
The Congregational Christian En- deavor and the Methodist Epworth League united into one really effect- ive Young People's Society. This union was so successful that the so- ciety became the center of both the social and religious life of the com- munity.
This youth group there had a vision of one church in Edinburg, and a plan emerged.
Under this plan each church re- tained its own identity. Contributions were kept separate. Each committee was composed of an equal number from each church. New members joined the church of their choice. Adult Sunday School met in one church and children in the other, while worship was held half of the year in the Methodist Church and the other half in the Congregational. Pas- tors were secured alternately from the respective conferences. Rev. Jacob Rankin, the first pastor, came from
the Methodist conference in the fall of 1921.
Rev. Rankin was followed by the Rev. Henry H. Hunt, Congregational. Something needed to be done about the church buildings. Neither was ade- quate in itself, and moving part of the congregation from one to the other between services was unsatis- factory.
In 1924 a new constitution was adopted and the church was incor- porated as the Edinburg United Church. In 1926 the Methodist prop- erty was sold and the proceeds used to help enlarge the Congregational Church and construct a basement. We believe that dating from the summer of 1921, this was the first union of two churches formed in the county.
It has flourished and been a strong force in both the religious and social life the community. It would be hard to tell how many denominations are represented by its present member- ship. Rev. Wm. Hastings is the pres- ent pastor.
A Church of God was organized in 1946, by people from the Newton Falls church. For some time meetings were held in the Town Hall with Rev. Raymond Miller as pastor. In 1949 an attractive church was built almost op- posite the United Church on the Edin- burg-Charlestown road. Rev. J. A. Overholt of Alliance is the pastor.
SCHOOL GETS START
The first school was held in a log house on the property of Amasa Can- field in 1818. The teacher was Miss Clarissa Loomis of Charlestown, with eight pupils. Miss Electa Bostwick taught the school in 1819, followed by Jesse Buell.
In 1823, residents entered into a contract with Austin Loomis of At- water to teach school in Edinburg
316
PORTAGE HERITAGE
three months for twelve bushels of wheat per month; "one-half to be paid at the end of three months in grain, and the remainder in some other trade, such as cattle, sheep, and whiskey."
By 1850 the township had been di- vided into seven districts and a special district at the center. Each district was a separate unit with its own tax dup- licate and its own elected Board of Directors.
In 1877 a two story school building was erected in the special district, where the present school building stands. The teachers on the first floor taught approximately the first six grades, while the principal taught "high school" on the second floor. Sometimes the high school was quite large, since pupils came from all over the township to take advantage of the higher education.
SCHOOL CHANGES COME
A new district must have been cre- ated, because at the beginning of con- solidation, there were eight districts besides Campbellsport and Yale, both of which served parts of four town- ships. Teachers of this period include Andrew Douthitt, Jesse O. Myers, E. F. Robison and F. J. Roller. Probably of all teachers of one room schools, Lucy J. Byers had the longest period of service, having taught for about 20 years.
About the year 1898, the school at the center was graded and a year of standard high school work was of- fered. E. J. McCall was principal, and four students graduated in the first class; namely, Alexander W. Walter, Roy Schultz, Arthur Jenkins, and Maggie Watkins.
In 1903, another year of high school was added. The following year the school became so large that a portion
of the upper hall was partitioned off for a class room, and Rev. Howard Barnes, minister of the Congrega- tional Church, was hired to teach part time. A. W. Walter was principal.
Not long after that, it seemed best to consolidate smaller districts with the Special District, and the days of the covered wagon buildings had been moved in to house the third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades. The first and second, seventh and eighth, and high school were accommodated in the original building.
FIRE DESTROYS BUILDING
In December, 1914, the main build- ing caught fire and burned to the ground. For the remainder of the year the first and second and the seventh and eighth grades met in the town hall, with a curtain to separate the rooms; and the high school was housed in the Lodge Hall above the general store.
In the fall of 1915, school opened in a fine new fireproof building with eight rooms, an auditorium, and a room for home economics and manual training. Another year was added to the high school and another teacher to the staff. Members of the Board of Education were C. A. Hughes, pres., Leroy Allen, C. A. Clark, A. C. Pas- coe and E. A. Shilliday. F. E. Kibler was clerk.
Gradually, as roads in the township were improved, the horse drawn wagons, or bob-sleds, gave way to motor busses.
A fourth year was added to the high school in 1932 and it became a first grade school with full credit for col- lege entrance. This made it necessary to add more space and in 1939 an ad- dition was built to supply a gymnas- ium, class rooms and laboratories for science and home economics. The
317
PORTAGE HERITAGE
Board of Education were A. P. Sch- weizer, E. B. Bingham, H. D. Gibson, Nelson Hughes, and H. J. Turner. A. G. Hickman was clerk and Gomer Lewis, Principal.
This made the Edinburg school one of the finest in the county. However, by 1950 other schools in the area were losing their charters because they were overcrowded, and Edinburg voted to consolidate again, this time with the townships of Charlestown, Paris, Pal- myra, and Deerfield. Because Edin- burg had the most suitable building, the Southeast Local School District transported high school students from all townships to Edinburg, and grade school pupils to other schools.
MODERN SCHOOL ARISES
In the summer of 1955, a modern high school building was erected on forty acres of land on State Route 18, in Palmyra township. Each township has its own grade school, a Board of Education with one representative elected from each township. Mason McConnell has been the representa- tive from Edinburg since the consoli- dation.
In contrast to the educational facil- ities provided in 1885, we have these figures: the latest appraisal value of the Edinburg school building (1955) was $315,000. The bond issue to build the new five-township high school was $795,000.
The number of pupils attending school has not changed very much, in spite of the fact that we now have a four-year high school. In 1885, the number of pupils enrolled in all schools is given as 299. In 1956, there are 316, including 80 pupils from Edinburg in Southeast High School. The average salary of all properly certified personnel who do any teach- ing is $3758.
It is a far cry from the days when Thomas Brigdon planted his corn with an axe for want of a better tool, to the present age of self-propelled combines, milking machines, and for- age harvesters. Agriculture has al- ways been the principal industry in Edinburg. Many and varied are the products which have come from its farms and great are the changes in methods of production.
Fruit has always been an important product. In the early days nearly every farm had its apple trees and the rack over the kitchen stove was kept full of apples drying for winter use in sauce and pies. Highland Home Farm, owned by Theodore Clark, was noted also for its peaches and cherries.
After World War I, a number of new apple and peach orchards were planted, as well as some cherries and pears. Among those who raised fruit commercially were Hill & Schweizer, ·E. W. Phile, C. B. Gano, E. B. Bing- ham, and others. For a number of years, the Hill & Schweizer farm was noted for its fruits and vegetables, also.
SET APPLE ORCHARDS
H. E. Wilkinson from Detroit bought what was known as the Swartz farm on Route 14, about a mile North- west of Edinburg, and set the entire farm to apple trees. He built a lovely home, storage facilities, and a nice roadside stand. Later he bought the Cyrus Turnbull farm and set it to fruit also. For a time he and his wife spent some time there, but he never came to live as he had expected.
The farms were later sold to Ed- ward S. McConnell, who with his sons, put them in shape, planted more trees, including cherries and peaches, and gradually acquired three other farms in the neighborhood. Many
318
PORTAGE HERITAGE
bushels of peaches are sold from these farms and in a good year thousands of bushels of apples are sold directly from the farm or packaged in plastic bags. Ed McConnell was considered one of the best judges of livestock in this part of the country.
The census of 1885 says that 1660 pounds of maple sugar and 6,640 gal- lons of maple syrup was produced that year. 25,268 maple trees were tapped. The demand for lumber and the price paid for it have induced most of the farmers in the township to cut off their woodlots. As a result tornadoes have become too frequent, and the soil has suffered for lack of water conservation. Only a few farm- ers, notably, Stanley Bingham, Earl Villers, and Eldis Phile and sons, still make maple syrup.
The greatest change in this com- munity has come about as a result of the desire of people who work in fac- tories for a home in the country, where they can be out of doors, and where they can have a greater amount of security. Many farms are now oc- cupied by part time farmers. Some do a fair job of farming in spite of their other work. Others have a cow, a few chickens and a garden; while still others have given up trying to farm at all while they have another job. Those full time farmers who are left make agriculture a profession and with the help of the improved ma- chinery carry on larger operations than before.
PRODUCTION NOTES
Dairying is a major industry. In contrast to the last century, when but- ter was an important product, all milk is now shipped in refrigerated trucks to Akron and Cleveland. Fruit, especially apples, poultry and eggs, and sheep (wool and lambs) are the
other important products at present.
We have no township census fig- ures later than 1945. What we have may make an interesting comparison with those previously given. 19,817 bushels of wheat; 33,095 bushels of shelled corn, 6,898 bushels of potatoes, 33,386 bushels of apples, 1,839 bushels of peaches, 11,718 pounds of cherries. Number of cows milked, 791; all hogs and pigs, 703; all sheep and lambs, 373; number of chickens, 11,097; turkeys, 154.
Since the close of World War II, many new homes have been built on small plots of land. The population is becoming suburban, and the percent- age of full time farmers is decreasing. However, with improved methods and better machinery, a few farmers can produce about as much as before, and agriculture is still the principle in- dustry.
Other occupations grew up as there was need for them. The first sawmill was built by Justin Eddy and John Campbell on "Barrel Run", a stream which runs from the southeast part of Edinburg northeast through the back of Highland Home Farm, and into the Mahoning River. This stream, which took its name from a barrel "factory" somewhere along its course, is very beautiful as it cuts through the rocks and is fed by clear springs. Many a picnic has been held along its banks.
There have always been one or more sawmills in the township. Al- bert Randall owned and operated the last permanent sawmill which did work of that kind.
IRON ORE MINED
Among the early industries was a tannery at Silver Creek, run by the Schultz brothers. According to some records, there was also a flourishing
319
PORTAGE HERITAGE
Gen. David McIntosh, who provided money to buy flags for all townships in county.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.