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 44
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The Congregationalists established a church in 1812, organized by Revs. Seward and Darrow, but after 1860, this body worshipped in Aurora.
BAPTISTS ACTIVE
The Baptists organized a church at the Center in 1809 through Albert Jones. This was part of the famous Bethesda "floating church" congre- gation with services held in various localities. It dissolved in the 1830s. Sidney Rigdom, the Mormon leader, was first a preacher in both Baptist and Disciples organizations.
The Universalists, with Rev. Reu- ben Jones as minister, was active from 1815 until about 1831.
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In 1941 a new edifice was erected at Prospect and High Streets for an organization known as the Bethel As- sembly. Rev. Randolph Jacobs was the first pastor and Rev. Stephen Bog- den.
The Mantua Center Christian Church was formed in 1827, when nine members withdrew from the Baptist group. This church is said to be the oldest Disciple Church in Ohio. Since then Christians or the Disciples have been strong and active in Man- tua. First members included Zeb Ru- dolph, father-in-law of Garfield, and Darwin Atwater, father of three fam- ous sons. In 1840 a building was dedi- cated on its present site. Members of this church were active in working toward the establishment of Hiram College. One member, John Atwater, was later a president, and Frederick Treudley was a noted educator.
In 1895, the congregation was in- corporated as the Disciples of Christ. A notable step was taken in 1923 when membership was thrown open to all regardless of creed.
Two DISCIPLE CHURCHES
After varying fortunes this church has prospered, with a large Sunday school and an important part in com- munity life. In 1951, the church was remodeled with an addition. Rev. B. M. Derthick was pastor until 1951, followed by Rev. Clayton Groves. During Mr. Derthick's pastorate, a 24 x 34 addition was added to the church building. Today's membership is 216.
As Mantua village grew, there was need of a Disciple church there and in 1889, Rev. R. M. Russell organ- ized a group. In its early history, this church depended largely upon Hiram professors and students as preachers.
Rev. Amzi Atwater, son of Darwin, was one. Dr. Newington was pastor from 1913 to 1919 and after this Rev. Derthick had the charge for nearly 18 years in which period the church building was enlarged. Rev. C. B. Brown was also a pastor here and is now in charge.
St. Joseph's Catholic Church was organized in 1850 or 1851 by Father Kindergraph, first as a mission. Ser- vices were held in various places. In 1871, Father Murphy built a frame church and Father Edward Gracey was the first resident pastor. Other pastors who served here were Revs. Manning, Scullen, O'Brien, Weber, Droyler and Ruffing. Father Gracey
a was instrumental in rebuilding church in 1924, with more modern features. Coming later were Revs. Mazenec Collins, Freeman, Bettes, and Toole. The present pastor is Father John Lavelle, who has worked hard to provide further facilities for the growing congregation.
OLD MANTUA
Old Mantua roughly divided into the Center; The Corners, one mile east; and The Station, two miles south of the Corners. The Station came in- to existence when the railroad ar- rived in 1856. Many people today speak of "The Station".
The present hotel building at the Corners was built by Alvira Messen- ger. F. E. Herst was there in 1904, but he sold it to a Mr. Zipperle. George Brehm bought it in 1922, sell- ing out to Herman Hitz in 1940. Mrs. Herman Hitz Whitcomb still owns the store.
The oldest house at Mantua Center is one built in 1822 by heirs of Dr. Ezekiel Squire. It is now owned by the Earl Monroes. South of the Cen- ter is the big brick house built by
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Samuel Sanford, now owned by Sam- uel J. Alger.
The present Julius Klimek home was once a one room school building. The first high school at the Center was in the old town hall on the east side of the square prior to 1900. The lower six grades were centralized there in 1903 with Crete Spray Reif- snider and Anna Wadsworth as teach- ers. The old M. E. church was then re- modeled and used by the seventh and eighth grade and high school. Six bus routes were set up for pupils, but in 1906, a seventh grade was added to take care of the Mud Mill district. First year's enrollment was 115. In 1914, the new high school was built at the Center but in 1949, Center schools became part of the new Crest- wood districts. Today pupils up to the sixth grade are taught at the Cen- ter, with an enrollment of about 300. The old church building mentioned was made into an auditorium in 1915, but since 1949 has been partly a gym- nasium and partly class rooms.
POSTMASTERS
First cemetery in town was the old South Burial Ground near the Stan- ford home. The second is located by the auditorium. West Cemetery was laid out in 1854 and is now known as Westlawn. The vaults date from 1880.
Samuel Cobb, previously mentioned, became postmaster when the Cobbs Corners office was opened in 1833. It is now Silo. The office was moved to Mantua Center in 1850, in which is now the Patrick Coyle home. In 1848 J. W. Foster was appointed postmaster with the office in his store at the Cor- ners, remaining until Rural Free De- livery was established in 1902. Since R. F. D. came the only postoffice has been at the station.
The well known Tamarack Swamp lay north of the Center, owned by P. Y. Coyle, who is still living, Frank Moore, Roy and John Wheeler. These men ditched and dredged the swamp in 1912 and it is now known as the Mantua Muck Lands a thriving com- munity with lovely homes. Vegetables grown there are marketed in Cleve- land and in Warren.
Mantua can well feel proud of her sons and daughters, particularly those connected with the schools. Amzi At- water was a professor at Hiram Ec- lectic and later Indiana State. Elbridge White was author of an arithmetic and other text books and Almeda Booth was a famous Hiram teacher. Others are Roxey Snow, writer of verse; Dr. Holbrook, science writer; Frederick Treudley, professor of Ohio University and Youngstown school head; H. B. Turner, Warren school head; L. C. Turner, Akron schools; C. C. Carlton; Kenneth Carpenter, radio executive; Kenneth Folger, art- ist; Henry J. Robison, state welfare head; Mrs. James Davis, classical au- thority; Alice M. Chalker, Dr. Wilson Scalon and Mrs. James H. Davis, classical scholar; Everest Derthick, Plain Dealer editor; John M. Atwater was head of Hiram College at one time.
WRITERS NUMEROUS
In literary fields, Lorenzo Snow, re- ligious writer and missionary, became the first president of the Mormon church in 1848; A. G. Riddle, author of "The Portrait" and other romantic tales, used Mantua as a locale; Gerald V. Stamm, writer of the 500-page novel "District Schoolma'am" and others, as well as short stories; Mrs. James Crafts, verse writer and col- umnist; Mrs. Charles Horst, poet; Florence Halstead Jahn, columnist.
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In art, Anthony Anderla received a fellowship at Charles University and State Art Academy at Prague, also one in the University of London. To- day he is an industrial tool designer. James Crafts, Jr., was listed in "Who's Who In Art." He heads the art de- partment of Teachers College in Con- necticut and holds many honors.
Few Mantua men were more widely known in Ohio than Frank A. Der- thick. He was state Dairy and Food Commissioner 1888-1891 and member of the state board of agriculture. From 1900 to 1908, he was master of the Ohio State Grange. In addition to this he spoke and lectured over the entire country on agriculture and economic subjects. He was a trustee of Ohio State University and of Hiram Col- lege. Mr. Derthick died in Mantua in 1922. He was a pioneer worker for school centralization.
Perry L. Green, state representative, State agriculture director and Farm Bureau leader, who spent most of his life in Hiram, was a Mantua resident in his later years.
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
In science and industry, some of note have been David King, early inventor of potato digging machine; C. Tinker, expert machinist; Hans Johnson, Sr., a Norwegian, inventor of shock absorber and engine (also a musician); Carl R. Briggs, inventor; Robert Brumbach, inventor; Richard Hahn, electronic inventor, and others. Mantua born Andrew Squire became a famous Cleveland lawyer.
Many remember the "Opera House". The structure was built at Mantua Corners as a store and cheese curing house. In the early '80s, D. M. King bought it and moved it to the village, raising it to three stories and using
Perry L. Green, Farm Bur- eau leader and State Representative
it as an implement store. Later it was christened King's Opera House. The back part was a shingle factory and later occupied by Ziba Houpt, first undertaker. When roller skating be- came popular it became the first rink, which was soon supplanted by another, "The Martha".
Then a basket factory moved in, but the Opera House continued as an en- tertainment center, dance hall and general auditorium. Various business- es were housed there. In 1900, it was sold to Prof. O. E. Bartel of Warren who organized a musical college and orchestra. Later it became the home of the Mantua Herald, subsequently the Mantua Review. Ten years later the building was damaged by fire. In 1913, A. L. Jones came from Parkman to start a woodworking and black- smith shop there and the upper part was used for moving picture shows for Mr. Kleinfelt. Later it was sold to A. W. Walter of Burton. After that the building was used for a time by the Pentecostal church, and others, until its demolition in 1935.
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NEWSPAPERS ARRIVE
Mantua had a championship school band two years under Raymond Ger- kowski. Later Band Patrons reorgan- ized it and Anthony Buonopane led it several years until the present, hav- ing a band of which Mantua is proud. It took second place in 1956 county wide competition. A good glee club and organization of Mother singers with Mrs. Fred Zacharias as director.
One B. O'Donnell edited the first newspaper here, the Times. It was short lived. Then a Clipper shone for a time, then faded to the Times. After it came the Gazette, the Herald, the Review and finally the Record of to- day with C. K. Butcher, publisher. Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood had the paper here over the longest period. Many loyal townsfolks have been contribu- tors. The Record has modern quarters on First St.
Many lodges and civic bodies have contributed to the town. Henry Briggs was the last survivor of the G. A. R. which flourished long. The Masons, Eastern Stars, Odd Fellows and Re- bekahs, Macabees, K. of P., D. of A., K. of C., American Legion and their auxiliaries all have been active. Today the Masons, Eastern Stars, K. of C. and Legion remain.
Among earlier groups were the Spiritualists, the Mantua Phrenologi- cal Research, The Shakespeare Club, the Sorosis Club and the Woman's Study Club. Today are the Literary and Study Club, the Garden Club and others. In the 1920s the "Little Thea- ter Players" group was organized, Fred Porte, director. Later, Prof. A. A. Crecelius of Hiram directed the ever changing body. It finally became the Dramatic Arts club but it was finally disbanded. Today, the Players Guild is in formation.
SERVICE CLUBS START
Both Boy and Girl Scouts have had organizations here. The Junior Wo- men's Guild is a late organization, made up of those interested in home- crafting. A Rotary Club was organ- ized in 1846.
About 1910, "The Pelhams", a theatrical road troupe, had tent pro- ductions at the end of Franklin St. and drew good crowds. The Coit Chautauquas and Lecture courses of six for $2.00 provided the more in- tellectual entertainment.
The Ladies Cemetery Association is a group ever watchful of the condi- tion of the cemeteries.
On the extreme east side of town the Buckeye Pipe Line of the Stand- ard Oil Co. has a pumping station and storage tanks first constructed about 1856. Personnel there has changed greatly. There has been at least five spectacular and costly fires there.
Young people need safe play- grounds. One mayor, George Miller, realized this. In consequence, a five acre tract near the water works sta- tion was purchased in 1948 as a park and recreation grounds. A community raised fund was added to village funds and a system of modern improvements and equipment put through. The place is one of the finest in the county.
The Tom Moore Tractor Co. is lo- cated nearby.
Mantua has had it tragedies. One long remembered came in 1902, when Mrs. Colonel Vaughan and her moth- er, Mrs. Calhoun, were slain. A step- son, leading a hermit's life, was charged and found guilty.
BUILDING CONTINUES
A Chamber of Commerce was start- ed in the early '30s but dissension and
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loss of interest brought dissolution about 1950. A Board of Trade organ- ization today watches after the village interests. Paul C. Jacobs is mayor to- day. There is a full time police offi- cer. William Cowell, the incumbent, has held the office 36 years and gained some fame by foiling a bank robbery here, capturing a suspect, who re- vealed others.
The nation-wide trend toward build- ing and expansion is in evidence here. Building lots are in demand and near- by acreage is being taken up. Many
modern homes have been built as well as a modern rest home by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Haas.
First colored people arrived in 1816. They were Mr. and Mrs. Benj. Sharpe, Lucy and Thomas Hughes. The latter married Flora, former slave girl of the Garretts of Nelson, who had been set free.
NOTE-Many of the facts presented in this chapter have been supplied by Mrs. Clyde H. Alger, particularly con- cerning Mantua Center and Corners.
House With "Christian" Doors
The house shown here is the home of the Glen T. Plum family on Kent-Ravenna road near the Breakneck bridge. Built in 1838 by Ruel L. Shirt- liff, a Franklin township pio- neer, great-grandfather of Mr. Plum, the property has been in the same family continuous- ly. Owners have included Mrs. Melissa Shirtliff Luce, 1861; Flora Luce Plum, 1909; and Glen Plum, 1944. Glen T. Plum, Jr. of the fifth genera- tion, also lives in the house at present.
An interesting feature of the presence of five "Christian doors" in it. The paneling in these doors is shaped in the form of a cross, hence the name. It is said that the In- dians, when they saw such doors, knew that the occupants of the houses were friendly to them.
The property touches the old canal bed on the east where a "turning basin" was once in use for the boats.
CHAPTER XXX Nelson
BY GRACE GOODSELL AND PEARLE LATTIMORE
Nelson, when the first settler ar- rived, was included with several townships under the name of Hiram and was a part of Trumbull County. The principal owner was Urial Holmes, who had purchased it from the Connecticut Land Company. Nel- son Township was organized in 1817.
In the spring of 1800 three sons of Deacon Ezekiel Mills, of Beckett, Mass., started out to seek their for- tune in the Western Reserve. They were: Delaun, his wife and three children; Asahel, his wife and one child; and Isaac, who was single. They came in two covered wagons, each drawn by a yoke of oxen. Several weeks elapsed before they reached Youngstown, then a small town of only a few cabins, which had been settled only three years previously.
By this time the money of the brothers had dwindled to eighteen cents, so that they sought employ- ment in Youngstown. As luck would have it, Urial Holmes happened to be there on his way to his land for the purpose of having it surveyed. The brothers were hired as axe-men to the surveyors.
MAKE OWN ROAD
Leaving their families in Youngs- town, where the women earned their own board and that of their children by working in a hotel, the brothers went forward to their work. In Sep- tember they returned and Delaun im- mediately removed his family to Nel- son to a cabin on one-hundred acres
of land given to him by Holmes as a reward for settling thereon. This cabin, which had been built and used by the surveying party, was located on the northwest side of the creek just west of the Center.
From Warren it was necessary for him to cut his own road because there was only a blazed bridle-path to Nel- son. This road passed near Phalanx, crossed the east and west Center road -east of the Ledge Swamp, around the Swamp to the north and ascended the Ledge Hill, just east of the Cen- ter, following the contour of the hill. (It was not until about 1885 that the Ledge Hill was filled in and straight- ened.) That first winter the Mills' family had for their food-three times a day-turnips, which Delaun had planted during the summer, and wild meat, which was abundant.
Asahel Mills remained in Youngs- town until the spring of 1801, then settled on one-hundred acres of land a half-mile west of the Center near Tinker's Creek. He was a Methodist and preached at the services held in his home. He brought his elderly par- ents to live with him in 1806. He later moved to Deerfield where he died.
Isaac Mills returned to the East. He and Origen Adams, grandson of Ebe- nezer Adams who was a "Subscriber" to an organization which founded a permanent church fund for religious purposes in Beckett, Mass., acted as scouts for this organization which soon was to settle in Windham. These
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Historic Cascade House, Nelson Ledges
two young men made this trip on foot several times. In 1805 Isaac married fifteen-year-old Polly Adams, Origen's sister, and came to Nelson to estab- lish their home on land located about a quarter of a mile north of Asahel's. Isaac traveled the distance between New England and Nelson thirty-three times, either on foot or with a span of horses and a loaded wagon. A few of Isaac's descendents live in Nelson now.
WAS INDIAN FIGHTER
Delaun Mills had an extremely ad- venturous life. He was a powerful man and absolutely fearless. He was an intrepid Indian fighter and had many encounters with them. The Ledges, in the upper part of Nelson, afforded an excellent shelter for the red-skins, and a few wigwams could always be seen under them. Delaun escaped from one Indian by placing his hat on his gun-stock so the Indian could see it. The Indian shot and ran toward him with his tomahawk in his hand. Delaun stepped from his hiding place and shot him. One day in spring, Sophia, Delaun's wife, was riding horseback to their sugar-camp,
near the Mill Dam Falls, south of the Center, when an Indian leaped behind her, rode for a ways, then disappeared into the forest.
Of necessity Delaun kept a tavern where travelers could eat and sleep. He was located on the path from Youngstown to Cleveland and many travelers passed through. (This is now State Route 305.) A stage-coach road also passed through Nelson in the southern part of the township. Much of Delaun's trouble with the Indians resulted from the fact that he traded liquor with them for furs.
The Indians were no longer seen in Nelson after the War of 1812. Dur- ing this war Delaun Mills became a militia captain and fought in the Bat- tle of Mackinaw under Col. Croghan.
Captain Mills died in 1824, having never fully recovered from being bit- ten by a rattlesnake. Nelson was in- fested with rattlesnakes, as many as two hundred having been killed in a single day. He was buried in the cemetery west of the Center, but his tombstone does not indicate that he was the first settler in Nelson.
In addition to the three brothers already mentioned, other settlers who came to Nelson were: 1803-Stephen Baldwin; Benjamin Stow and his two sons, Daniel and Caleb; John Ban- croft with four sons, Rudolphus, John, Artemus, and David (who later mar- ried Marilla Mills, Asahel's daugh- ter); Daniel Owen (who, when he broke his arm in two places, walked to Warren for medical care and back the same day); the two Stiles brothers; William and Thomas Kennedy; and Asa Truesdale. In 1804-Col. John Garrett, who built the first mill, lo- cated in Garrettsville; Johann Noah; and Abraham Dyson. In 1805-John Tinker and Nathaniel Bancroft, who
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were sons-in-law of Benjamin and Daniel Stow; Martin Manley; and Ezekiel Wood. In 1806 - Deacon Ezekiel Mills, who died two years later, and wife. In 1809-their son Oliver Mills, a school teacher; Charles May; the Rudolphs; and Rev. William West, a Baptist minister. In 1810- Charles Johnson and three sons, Eras- tus, Alanson, and Charles, Jr.
PRESBYTERIANS ARRIVE
In 1811 and 1812 a large company, mostly Presbyterians, came from Con- necticut: Deacon Joshua B. Sherwood and Wells Clark, who were unfriendly because of a dispute concerning the sale of some cattle in Connecticut; Birdsey Clark; Theron Colton; David Beardsley; Titus Bonney; Hezekiah Bonney; John Hannah; David Good- sell; and several members of the Hop- kins family. Emigration then almost entirely ceased until the end of the War of 1812. In 1815-Hezekiah Higley; Benjamin Pritchard; Robert C. Bennett; Sylvanus Hewlett; Elisha Taylor, Sr .; and David Stow. From 1815 to 1820-Jeremiah Fuller and two sons; Charles Whiting; Charles Hewlett; Marcus and David Morris; Thomas Barber; Thomas Perry; Ben- jamin Brown; Harry Spencer; Jacob and Ashbel Haskins, Jr .; Jared W. Knowlton; Ira Fuller; the Merwins, Eatons, Merritts, Pritchards, and Tay- lors.
There are only a few fourth-gen- eration descendents of these early set- tlers living in Nelson in 1955: Nellie Mills Randall, a great-granddaughter of Isaac Mills; Elsie Burke Cartwright, a great-granddaughter of Alanson Johnson; Alice Fuller Chapman, a great-granddaughter of Jeremiah Fuller; George Bancroft, a great- grandson of John Bancroft; H. C. Newcomb and Seymour Newcomb,
great-grandsons of Theron Colton. Nearly a hundred residents belong to families which have lived in Nelson more than a hundred years.
Many church denominations held services in Nelson from 1803 to 1825. Among these were: Baptist, Bethseda Baptist (which was organized by John Rudolph, who had come from Mary- land in 1809), Pedo-Baptist, Presby- terian, Congregational, Methodist, and Universalists. The first Methodist sermon was given by Asahel Mills in 1801. The first sermon for the Con- gregationalists was given by the fa- mous Rev. Joseph Badger in the spring of 1804. The deacons of this church were kept busy settling dis- putes according to the "Tell It To The Church" discipline, taken from Matthew 18; 15-17, which states: "Moreover if thy brother shall tres- pass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. But if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican." The church meetings were held in the homes or else in the log school building.
WHISKEY PAYS PASTOR
The Congregational Church was or- ganized in 1813 and the building was erected in 1825. The church records of that period read: "Future generations will be astonished to learn that a bar- rel of whiskey was consumed in put- ting up the frame. About this time the pastor gave an order to a church member on a distiller for 29 or 30 gallons of whiskey. This was for grain
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furnished by him and which he had received on his salary." "
Musical instruments used by this church during its existence included a bass viol, a melodeon, an organ, and a piano. Hymn singing was intro- duced in 1831. A parsonage was built a quarter of a mile north of the Cen- ter. The church prospered until well after it celebrated its one-hundredth anniversary. In 1925 after much de- liberation the members of this church merged with the Methodists and in 1930 the church building was deeded to the Methodist Church. It was re- paired and made into a gymnasium; later it was deeded to the school board with the reservation that it never be used for a public dance floor.
The Methodist Church was organ- ized in 1814 and the building was erected in 1833, at a cost for building of $250. The property had been given to the organization by John and Grace Bancroft. In 1866 the building was re- modeled and again in 1914 when a basement was added and, a furnace. Electricity was installed in 1926. The church has not had a resident pastor for over a hundred years, it has shared pastors with Southington, Windham, and at present with Garrettsville. The Methodist Church was undoubtedly the most prosperous during the years before and after 1914. The average at- tendance was 104, the Epworth League had an enrollment of 60 members, the Men's Brotherhood had a membership of 55 men, the Ladies' Aid Society met every two weeks, and Prayer Meetings were held every week.
The E.U.B. Church at Silica in Southeast Nelson was formerly in Nelson. The original church was Bap- tist and located at Newell Ledge, in the southeast corner of the township. In 1870 the church was moved to
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