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 52
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In 1948 a group at New Milford wanted a place of worship for the many Baptists of the area. With Rev. Harlan Bower as pastor and leader they effected a permanent organiza- tion and built a church in 1949. Three years later an addition was necessary, consisting of six class rooms and a furnace room. In 1955, further expan- sion was necessary and a nursery, rest rooms and additional Sunday School rooms were added.
Although Rootstown is not yet an incorporated village, it is fortunate to possess many city advantages. It has city water (largely through the efforts of Ward Davis), electricity, street lights, good schools and church- es and fire protection. New industries
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have also located throughout the sec- tion.
HAVE FIRE DEPARTMENT
The fire department was organized in 1938 after township trustees met with a citizens committee. An organ- ization was effected, with Ralph Long, president; Harold Williams, sec- retary; and Robt. N. Yeend, treasur- er. Equipment today consists of fire truck, air packs, portable light plant, 1000 gallon tank truck with pump and an emergency truck with resusci- tator, etc. A new fire station building is being erected at the Center. Present fire chief is Leland M. Carson, with Howard Marshall as assistant. Presi- dent of the department is Henry Ton- sing; Bill Moore, secretary; Roger Dietz, treasurer.
An important industry which lo- cated here in 1955 is the Jet Rubber & Plastic Co., located one-half mile east of the Center. It manufacturers molded rubber and plastic products according to customer specifications, serving large tire and airplane indus- tries in Akron. Present employees number 20. V. V. Mobley is president and John P. Thomas is vice president and manager. Considerable expansion is planned.
About one-half mile west of the Center is the new building of the Mold & Machine Co., erected by Paul J. Clark. It was started in 1952 in a small way but the present building has 2790 feet of floor space. Molds, dies and experimental machinery are manufactured.
The largest enterprise to locate here is the Nu-Way Cash-Way Lumber Co., a division of the Wick's Corpor- ation, Saginaw, Mich. This is located east of New Milford on Rt. 18 on the Geib property. A spur runs in from the Pennsylvania R.R. tracks. The
company handles lumber on both re- tail and wholesale basis and carries a $350,000 stock of finished lumber and building material. Operations be- gan here Jan. 1, 1956 from the large storage and warehouse buildings. Roland Pretzer is manager.
In 1955 there got under way a $350,000.00 telephone expansion pro- gram for the Rootstown area, provid- ing for a new county exchange near the intersection of Rts. 18 and 44. A 35 x 45 brick building houses the necessary equipment. The new ex- change is known as the Fairfax ex- change and will care for service in Rootstown, Randolph and Edinburg. Manager Ray Cheetham pointed out that between 1942 and 1955 there were more subscribers than in the previous 40 years.
Rootstown observed its sesqui-cen- tennial July 4-6, 1952. At the school premises there were displays, exhibi- tions, games, contests, music, speech- es and a fireworks display. A pageant, "Our Rootstown Heritage," was put on, 150 persons taking part, and special services were held in the churches. The program committee was composed of Ward Davis, Harry Dundon, Bryan F. Jones, A. R. Hor- ton, Mrs. R. N. Yeend and Howard Cook.
MEN IN SERVICE
Several times in the history of the township the country has been in- volved in wars; in these our people have responded with a willingness to do their part. Four veterans of the Revolutionary war are buried here. At least 12 Rootstown men were in the War of 1812. Records show that 63 men were in the various branches of service during the Civil War. Of these, 47 are buried here, as are three Spanish War veterans. Rev. H. W.
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Robinson, an army chaplain, lived here, being church pastor.
At the outbreak of World Wars I and II, the show of patriotism was not the same as in previous wars. How- ever, when the call came, many volun- teered and others responded to the draft.
Enrolled in World War I service were Chester Armitage, H. Vaughn Armitage, Carl Benshoff, George Bab- cock, Fay Beyers, Robert Biltz, Peter Bosko, Clarence Bower, Wm. Bower, Grover Brown, Carl Coffman, George College, Chas. Conaway, Dominic Cer- any, Chas. Day, Will Doreflinger, Ar- thur Dundon, Merle Dundon, Andy Evans, Joe Gauer, Wilbert Gibson, Harley Gilmore, Louis Gombert, Gibbs Hallock, Edward Hartung, John Kazimer, Chas. Kibler, Erwin Kline, Gust Kline, Clarence Leadbetter, Paul Leavingood, Robt. Lindsey, Floyd Luli, Earl McNulty, Clayton Mitchell, Chas. Mittendorf, Chas. Moinet, John Parham, Alvin Peairs, John Peairs, Walter Schinke, Wm. Schinke, Craig Smith, Silas Smith, Joe Stajancha, Leon Varney and Yost.
In World War II these men were in service: Clifford Adair, Harvey Adams, Edward Anderson, Floyd An- derson, Wilbur Anderson, Wm. An- derson, John Angebrandt, Russell Armitage, Willard Armitage, Rich- ard Armstrong, Arnold Dorsey, Robt. Arnold, Loron Barlow, Richard Bauer, Joe Baumgartner, Carl Bean, Jas. Beasley, Glenn Beaumont, Richard Beck, Wm. Beck, Geo. Bendar, Chas. Bennett, Robt. Benshoff, Ray Benson, Dorwin Berry, Harold Berry, Chas. Bildershein, Miles Bildershein, Carl Biltz, Philip Blair, Clarence Bloom, Maynard Boling, Ray Boling, Leonard Bowland, Derwin Bradley, Garland Britton, Robt. Brown, Francis Buirley,
Robt. Buirley, Ralph Church, Mike Chudenov, Ray Clark, Leroy Conley.
Also, Walter Davis, Virgil De Hart, Wm. Devault, Marsh Dibble, Freder- ick Dunlap, Chas. Dunlop, Albert Esposito, Robt. Friedoff, Homer Gal- loway, Fred Geib, Robt. Gerren, Wal- lace Gerren, Anthony Giordenango, Chas. Giordenango, Preston Girton, Wallace Girton, Andrew Grega, Joe Grega, Paul Grega, Steve Grega, Earl Grund, Russell Hamilton, Robt. Har- ris, Harold Hartung, Ray Hartung, Albert Heritage, Joe Hluch, Sam Jones, Ernest Kelley, Harold Kirby, Harold Kline, John Krizo, Andy Krogi, Forrest Laubert, Wm. Lee, Jas. Leedom, Ralph Leedom, Jack Leyland, Richard Loomis, Robt. Loomis, Robt. Lucas, Calvin Marks, Wesley McEl- hiney, Max Marshall, Ray Marshall, Wilbur Marshall, Gordon Meloy, Chas. Miley, Clifford Miller, Dean Miller, Floyd Miller, Marjorie Miller, Robt. Miller, Everett Mitchell, John Mlasofky, Warren Moser, Claude Murray, Chas. Ney, Geo. Nichols, Robt. Nichols, Richard Noel, Joe Parks, Joe Parsons, Donald Pfile, Robt. Phillips, Andrew Pollack, Joseph Polack, Donald Reiss, Art Rey- nolds, Kermit Reynolds, Angelo Rob- erto, Ernest Robertson, Dwight Rodo- cher, Paul Rouse, Alfred Royer, Mar- lin Russell, Edward Saburon, Edward Sekulich, Deming Seymour, Jas. Sharp, Fred Sheffield, Jas. Shrigley, Ralph Shrigley, Kenneth Slater, Geo. Slater, John Smith, Marvin Smith, Ervin Snyder, Willard Staley, Wm. Stefancik, Nelson Stephens, Paul Stephenson, Garland Straton, Henry Straton, Bill Thomas, Bob Troxel, Harley Twiggs, Burdette Ulm, Steve Wancik, Gerald Ward, Edward Weav- er, Chris. Weinkauf, Louis Weinkauf, Roy White, Norman Williams, Jas.
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Wise, Richard Wise, French Wol- ford, Harold Wolford, Merrill Wol- ford, Ruhl Wolford and Wilson Woodring.
TOWNSHIP ACTIVITIES
After World War II were Ott Allen, Don Bull, Frank Bildershein, Anthony Calabria, Edward Capela, Bob Cheatwood, Duane Craig, Frank Darsh, Roger Duke, Don Echnat, Joe Esposito, Don Gauer, Jim Gerren, Chas. Hall, Jas. Harmon, Laurence Harrell, Robt. Hylbert, Carl Jacobs, Chris Jacobs, Jack Jacobs, Helen Jor- don, Joe Kerr, Mike Korval, John Kropac, Paul Long, Wm. Luli, Gary Michael, Don Moulton, Enlow Mur- ray, Teddy Reusch, Paul Riemen- schneider, Ray Rodenbucher, Rita Rodenbucher, Fred Sheffield, Wilbur Sheffield, Jas. Skeen, Paul Stephen- son, Robt. Stephenson, Mike Vartan- ian, Peter Wahn, Roland Ward, How- ard Whitted, Dick Wilson and Thos. Wilson.
Rootstown had an agricultural fair for several years in the early '70s. Several buildings were put up and there was much live stock display. It was a one-day fair.
The Rootstown Protective Associa- tion, a mutual fire insurance com- pany, was organized about 1882. In 1885 its officers were: G. W. Bow, Pres .; H. M. Deming, Vice Pres .; H. O. Reed, Sec .; C. H. Bradshaw. Direc- tors were David Bogue, Homer Chap- man and Elam Underwood. The com- pany went out of business in 1934.
In 1930, Rev. H. W. Robinson or- ganized the first Boy Scout troop and he was the first scout master. Present scout master of Troop No. 556 is John Petit, with 11 boys active. Harry F. Howell is cub master of Cub Pack No. 3556.
Girl Scouts are also active. Respon- sible for the first organization was Mrs. Dorothy Dundon. There are now three troops. Sponsoring groups were church organizations. Membership of the three troops of Girl Scouts is now 50. There are also three troops of Brownies which have a membership of 53.
Rootstown 4-H activities date back to at least 1921. In 1954, 23 boys and 70 girls were enrolled in the various classes. Mrs. Ernest L. Foster has been 4-H advisor for the past 18 years.
The Post Band of Kent was a noted musical group for many years. A. G. Post was organizer and leader.
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Patton Memorial Home, Kent, gift of Emma Patton.
Was Campbell's Port
Campbellsport, named after Gen. John Campbell, who settled there, was once an important business center. In earliest days its population exceeded that of Ra- venna. In addition to the large trade done on the old canal, it was also the first location of the Gledhill woollen factory established in 1848. But in the '60s, this factory, buildings and all, was moved to Ravenna, after which Camp- bellsport declined. The hamlet is located in the corners of four townships -- Ra- venna, Charlestown, Edinburg and Roots- town. It once had an important flouring mill and one of the first brick pavements in the county led to it. At first the place was known as Campbell's Port.
William McComb of Shalersville was working in the south when the Civil War broke out and was drafted into the Confederate army. At Fort Scott he de- serted to the Union army, and was identi- fied by Ashley Crane, another Shalers- ville boy who was with the Union forces there.
Although Benjamin Tappan left Ra- venna in 1810, other members of the family stayed on to handle the Tappan real estate interests. One Tappan had a small manufacturing plant in Ravenna. As late as 1852 F. W. Tappan was con- ducting a "General Land Agency Office". Henry A. Swift and Samuel J. Hopkins also operated a real estate agency and these two are believed to have been the first in the county.
Mogadore, the village that straddles the county line in southwest Portage, is said to have been named for Mogador, a city in Morocco, Africa, though no one seems to know why. Nor does any- one know why the "e" was added to the name.
The Revolutionary War uniform of Aaron Olmsted, original proprietor of Franklin Township, is on display in the historical museum of the Daughters of the American Revolution at Washing- ton.
CHAPTER XXXVI
Shalersville
By MRS. HARRY MOORE
Shalersville has watched history be- ing made and has played a small part in each chapter. What was once a dense forest is now a flourishing farm- ing community which is being rapid- ly altered by industrial growth and increased population. Many eras of activity have left their mark of prog- ress.
Much of the culture and talent of the people who settled here and those who still live here, can be traced from New England and directly across the Atlantic to England.
At the drawing of the Connecticut Land Co. in 1795 the township known as Town 4, Range 8 of the New West- ern Reserve, fell to the lot of General Shaler of Middletown, Connecticut.
The township was first called Mid- dletown after the home town of its original owner, Nathaniel Shaler, a violent Federalist, whose daughter lat- er married Commodore McDonough of Ravenna. Shaler never lived here.
Nathaniel Shaler gave 160 acres north and west of the present inter- section of Routes 44 and 303 to Joel Baker who came from Tolland Coun- ty, Conn., with his wife and child in 1806. This was one year before Port- age County was formed from Trum- bull County. They cleared a spot in the wilderness, erected a log cabin, and were the only settlers there for two years. Their daughter, Lucinda, was the first white child born in the township.
Four years before Joel Baker's com-
ing, the road now known as State Route 44 was laid out, but it was several years before it was completed. It was only a tangled, rough path, parts of which may have been used as an Indian trail.
CRANE FAMILY ARRIVES
The 1808 records show names of two voters, Joel Baker and Asa D. Keyes. That same year brought the next settlers or second family, Mr. and Mrs. Simeon Crane. Crane's brothers, Belden and Calvin, also came that year. They were Connecticut people but had lived since 1801 in Canfield, Trumbull County. Simeon's son, Ed- ward Manly Crane, was the first male child born in Shalersville (June 4, 1810). They have had many descen- dents, some still living here at the present time. The first death was Simeon Crane, age seven, in 1809. The second death, and first adult, was Mr. Deming from Vermont in 1812.
In 1810 the first school was built of unhewn logs with greased paper for windows. The slab seats were so high that the feet of small children dangled above the puncheon floor. This school was located on lot 36 back of the present town hall. Miss Winter from Aurora was the teacher. The first wedding was that of Heze- kiah Hine and Miss Mary Atwater and it also occured in 1810.
Hezekiah Hine and Elisha Bur- roughs came in 1808. Daniel Keyes and his son, Asa K. Keyes, came the next year from Connecticut. Asa was
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a lawyer and agent for General Shaler, and at the organization of the county was elected the first prosecuting at- torney.
In 1810 William Coolman, Jr., and family came from Middletown, Con- necticut. He became one of the Trus- tees at the organization of the town- ship in 1812, and his son William, Jr., was sheriff in 1820-23, representative in the Legislature, justice of the peace, and for many years an editor. In the same year Daniel Burroughs and his sons, Asa K. and Greenhood, and fam- ilies came from Vermont.
Joel Walter, Benjamin Bradley, Moses Carpenter, and others also came from Connecticut in 1810.
FIRST MILLS START
Ephraim Brown, Daniel Hine and Vine Welch came from Milford, Con- necticut, in 1811. In the same year they opened the first blacksmith shop south of the center back of the pres- ent church.
The first tannery was built by Moses Carpenter in 1810 about one- half mile west of the center.
The first saw mill was owned by Stephen Mason in 1812, and in 1814 a grist mill was added. Traces of the mills can still be seen in the western section of town on the Cuyahoga River close to the Feeder Dam. A small island marks the exact location of Mason's mill on Price Road near the Roosa homestead. The noted Na- than Muzzy was employed here.
The township was organized April 6, 1812. The number of votes cast was sixteen. Judges of that election were Belden Crane, Joel Walter, and Sim- eon Crane. The following name of- ficers were elected: Clerk, Horace Burroughs; Trustees, William Cool- man, Joel Walter, and Simeon Crane;
Treasurer, Belden Crane; Assessor, Asa K. Burroughs; Constable, Richard Gray; Overseers of the Poor, Daniel Burroughs and Daniel Keyes; Fence Viewers, Stephen Mason and Benja- min Bradley. Abel Hine came this year.
In 1814 Silas Crocker came from Vermont with the families of Job Thompson, Sr., and Benoni Thomp- son. It took six weeks to make the tedious journey. Mr. Crocker worked hard, was in the banking business in Ravenna and served several years as justice of the peace. There were then 16 families living in log houses. Most of these cabins were built sixteen feet by twenty feet.
In 1815 settlers began coming in quite rapidly. Among these were Isaac Kneeland and family from Con- necticut, Leelon Marvin and family from New Hampshire, Jonas Goodell and family from Massachusetts, and John Hoskin and family from Col- chester, Connecticut. S. G. Eldridge came in 1819.
FIRST STORE OPENS
The first store was opened by Syl- vester Beecher in 1816 upon his own land. He came as a poor boy from Connecticut but made a name for himself. He was a stockholder in the Ravenna bank and fought in the war of 1812. Along with merchandising he ran a large ashery.
In 1817 David McIntosh cut the center road through from Shalers- ville Township to Freedom. Mr. Mc- Intosh is perhaps one of Shalersville's most prominent men. He was a major general of militia and represented his county in the Legislature, 1844-45. The county remembers him because of his patriotism; he left a sum of one thousand dollars to supply flags for the townships. The squaretopped
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J
Two types of motive power-oxen and horses. Streator home in Shalersville, 1875.
house that he built and lived in still stands one mile east of the Center.
The first church organized was the Congregational in 1818 with eight members. Before this missionaries or circuit riders came occasionally and preached.
The Lowrie saw mill located here supplied much lumber for the P & O and Ohio Canal's construction.
Noah and Noble Roger established a tannery near the north line of the township in 1829 which was used about 40 years. Saw mills were mak- ing lumber available for building, and there was much cheese making at home. Stock, dairying, sheep, swine, horses, and fruit showed improve- ment. The reaper was coming into use. New settlers were coming also. Records show Peter Kimes came in 1831, Nathan Severance, 1832; Seth B. Branch, 1833; Calvin Thompson, 1835; Abraham Roosa, 1837; Samuel Colby, 1843; James Van Auken, 1854; and many more.
INSANE IN POOR HOUSE
In 1833 an attempt was made to
erect a county poor house, but it wasn't until May, 1839 that the county purchased 100 acres of land for $5,000 with buildings, stock, and farming implements from General David Mc- Intosh. This became the Poor House (or County Infirmary), with Mr. Mc- Intosh the first director. It was man- aged by directors until 1913 when it was taken over by the county com- missioners. After 1925 the name, County Home, was used. It is located in the southwest part of town on present Infirmary Road. Papers at the home show that whole families once lived at the Infirmary. Records also show that the insane were kept at the Poor House. In 1858 a brick build- ing was erected, and a wing was add- ed in 1882. In 1952 the new home was built. Today there are 227 acres and 105 inmates.
In 1840 the town had a population of 1,280 and a postoffice was located here as early as 1830.
Labor was then valued at forty cents a day, and the cloth for a child's dress cost twenty-five cents. One buf- falo robe cost seven dollars. Other
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facts are listed below: Cattle, driven from the drought area by the lake, passed through here in 1845. The Shalersville Library Association was organized in 1847. On September 20, 1850, the Disciple church was organ- ized under state law. In 1850 Shalers- ville had a population of 1,190; it was a flourishing and thriving town and contained a store which rivaled any in Ravenna. The town once had three hotels, two postoffices, and two doctors. Doctor George M. Proctor was the town's only resident physi- cian. He was here over fifty years. Doctor Allport came from Hudson two days a week.
Adam V. Horr was postmaster in 1850 and 1852, and in 1853 he built a store building at the center. The fol- lowing merchants have been identi- fied with it: A. V. Horr, Streator, Daily and Company, G. L. Horr, V. R. Sage, A. A. Barber, H. F. Moriss, William Blumenstein, J. W. Hartzell, and G. J. Heritage.
EIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICTS
There were eight one-room district schools built in 1857. The amount paid the contractors for these build- ings was $350.00 each. Each district was allowed $100.00 to pay for wood and the teacher for a year - three winter months and four summer months. Fuel was not to exceed four dollars a year, and the teacher had to do the janitor work.
In 1851 the school building, called the Academy, was built by public subscription south of the Center on Lot No. 36. Later it was called the Shalersville Institute and used until 1887 or 1888. The building was later converted into a barn and still is in use today.
Shalersville was one of six towns that petitioned for Hiram College.
The others were Newton Falls, Hiram, Aurora, Russel and Bedford.
After the Civil War sheep were a profitable side line for many farmers. Many large flocks of sheep produced wool for home and then for commerc- ial use. Sheep washing was done on the Cuyahoga River at the first saw and grist mill sites.
During this period a pail factory flourished west of Shalersville center, with the first buckets having wooden hoops. In the northwest section square iron nails were manufactured by the Haas brothers. Many cheese factories and saw mills operated on small streams about town. Barrels were made from clear white oak. Black- smiths were kept busy setting tires on wagons and putting runners on bob sleds.
The pioneers enjoyed sledding, dancing, barn and house raising, corn husking, and quilting parties. All homes had smoke houses to cure meat. Hooks in kitchens dried fruits. Bee hives were a part of most homesteads.
GOOD MAPLE PRODUCTION
Shalersville's rich soils and growing conditions produced many trees. The sugar maple tree is valuable for maple syrup production, a profitable side line for farmers. At one time almost every farm had a sugar bush. Today Shalersville has about 6,500 sugar trees and makes 2,000 gallons of syrup yearly. The Goodell Farm, the largest producer, has about 3,000 of these trees.
The First Congregational Church was disbanded in 1857. The popula- tion in 1870 had decreased to 977. In 1873, Shalersville was the third town- ship in the county in the production of cheese, having turned out in that year, 419,245 pounds. 1876 saw ex- tensive repairs on the Disciple
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Church, and the old hotel property was deeded for the present school site. In 1880 the population was 900.
In 1884 there were 124 children en- rolled in 8 district schools (63 boys and 61 girls). Teacher's pay averaged $21.00 per month.
About the same time many thou- sand bushels of potatoes were raised. This has always been one of the township's important cash crops. Po- tatoes were piled in the fields and it was necessary to haul them loose in a wagon and fork them into baskets. They were planted in check rows, hooked out with hand hooks, and cultivated with one-row horse-drawn cultivators.
In 1890 Phineas Butler Tomson became the town's first school super- intendent. He taught five days a week and on Saturdays visited schools at a salary of fifty dollars a month. A sketch of Mr. Tomson and his work appears elsewhere.
In 1892 the Methodists built a church at a cost of $200.00. Jacob Libis was the head carpenter. It still stands, the only church Shalersville has today. Extensive repairs were made in 1939. This church has always been known for its election day din- ners. In September, 1956 the G. J. Heritage store was purchased for a parsonage and Sunday School rooms.
NAME CEMETERIES
The Ladies' Cemetery Association was organized May 24, 1899, with thirty-three charter members. At the end of the first year, membership had increased to sixty-six ladies and one gentleman, Butler Tomson. Having the honor of naming the cemetery at the center "Hillside", Mr. Tomson purchased an arch gate sign with those words inscribed. The Association chose the name "Riverside" for the
The old Shalersville Academy - later public school, built in 1851.
cemetery at Feeder Dam and had an arch sign made. The signs were erect- ed in 1900 over the entrance gates. In 1905 the Association placed a fountain in Riverside Cemetery.
The Grange was organized March 3, 1900, with 14 charter members and by 1906 it had gained to a member- ship of 80. A Grange hall, purchased from ex-members of the J.O.U.A.M. in 1903, was later used for a store. This stands north of the present school. The Grange has 67 members at the present time.
Baseball was a very popular sport in the early 1900's. The level land along the Cuyahoga River made ex- cellent ball diamonds. A playing field southwest of the Center later was well-used as was one by the Riverside Cemetery.
Cheese factories were flourishing about 1906. The farmers were making two trips a day with milk in 30 and 50 gallon cans. Whey was brought
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home for animal feed. The expres- sion "hitched my team of horses to a buggy and plugged through the mud" was often used. The last cheese fac- tory, west of the Center, closed in 1914.
ASSESSOR IS CALLER
Cider mills did a thriving business. Charlie Rhodes on Infirmary Road, and Loomis Nelson on Route 44, ran cider mills for many years. Amos Kimes, personal tax assessor, came to each farm, and every farmer cut his own brush along the road. Fred Rhodes did basket making from na- tive black ash. Charles Peck and Howard Cook kept large flocks of sheep. Ice was cut in winter for sum- mer use.
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