USA > Ohio > Summit County > Twinsburg > Twinsburg, Ohio, 1817-1917, Part I History, Part II Genealogies > Part 11
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WILCOX, SHERWOOD, Serg., age 19, Co. E. 177th Reg.,
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TWINSBURG HISTORY
O. V. I. Entered service Aug. 29, 1864, for I yr. Mustered out with company June 24, 1865.
WRIGHT, HARVEY M., Priv., age 27, 9th Independent Battery, O. V. Light Artillery. Entered the service Oct. II, 1861, for 3 yrs. Captured Sep. 17, 1862, in action at Cum- berland Gap. No further record.
WRIGHT, NELSON, Priv., age 18, Co. H, 177th Reg., O. V. I. Entered service Aug. 24, 1864, for I yr. Mustered out with company June 24, 1865.
WILLIAMS, GEORGE, Priv., age 20, Co. K, 19th Reg., O. V. I. Entered service Aug. 28, 1861, for 3 yrs. Dis- charged July 7, 1862, at Columbus, O., on surgeon's certifi- cate of disability.
In addition to the above are the names and records of men who spent their boyhood days in Twinsburg but moved away before the war:
COWLES, EDWARD, Second Lieut., age 32, 9th Inde- pendent Battery, O. V. Light Artillery. Entered service Oct. 11, 1861, for 3 yrs. Promoted from Sergeant Dec. 12, 1862. Resigned Apr. 20, 1864.
MILLS, GIDEON H., Corporal, age 29, 9th Independent Battery, O. V. Light Artillery. Entered service Oct. II, 1861, for 3 yrs. Appointed Nov. 20, 1864. Mustered out with battery July 25, 1865. Veteran.
POST, ELBRIGE S., Musician, age 18, 2Ist Reg., O. V. I. Entered service Oct. 17, 1861. Mustered out Sep. 20, 1862, by order of War Dept. Second enlistment, Co. F, 4th Reg., Mich. V. I., Sep. 5, 1864. Discharged May 6, 1865.
POST, HENRY C., Priv., age 18, Co. A, Ist Reg., O. V. Light Artillery. Entered service Mar. 8, 1864, for 3 yrs. Mustered out with battery July 31, 1865.
POST, SIDNEY J., Priv., age 18, Co. A, Ist Reg., O. V. Light Artillery. Entered service Feb. 29, 1864, for 3 yrs. Mustered out with battery July 31, 1865.
TAYLOR, DANIEL R., Priv., age 24, Co. D, 84th Reg., O. V. I. Entered the service May 26, 1862, for 3 mos. Transferred to Co. F, June 10, 1862. Promoted to Q. M. Serg., June II, 1862. Mustered out with regiment Sep. 20, 1862. Ohio State Military Agent at Louisville, Ky., from Nov., 1863, to Mar. 1864, and at Nashville, Tenn., from Mar., 1864, till close of war.
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TWINSBURG IN THE CIVIL WAR
TAYLOR, VIRGIL C., First Lieut., age 23, Co. E, 84th Reg., O. V. I. Entered the service May 26, 1862, for 3 mos. Elected First Lieutenant June 2, 1862. Mustered out with his company Sep. 20, 1862.
TUCKER, PLINY H., Priv., age 26, Co. I, Ist Reg., Iowa V. I. Entered service Aug. 19, 1862, for 3 yrs. Dis- charged in Tenn. Feb. 12, 1865.
VAIL, ALFRED K., Corporal, age 28, Co. A, 49th Reg., O. V. I. Entered service Aug. 6, 1861, for 3 yrs. Appointed Corporal July 1, 1865. Mustered out with company Nov. 30, 1865. Veteran.
VAIL, GEORGE W., Lieut., age 31, Co. A, 49th Reg., O. V. I. Entered service Aug. 6, 1861, for 3 yrs. Captured Dec. 30, 1862, at battle of Stone River, Tenn. Returned to company June 1, 1863. Appointed First Sergeant Mar. 6, 1864. Wounded in battle of Pickett's Mills, Ga. Promoted to First Lieutenant Feb. 10, 1865. Mustered out with company Nov. 30, 1865. Veteran.
VAIL, SAMUEL B., Priv., age 28, Co. A, 49th Reg., O. V. I. Entered service Feb. 5, 1864, for 3 yrs. Killed May 27, 1864, in battle at Pickett's Mills, Ga.
Following are the names of men who were volunteers in the Civil War and who have sometime lived in Twinsburg but are not elsewhere mentioned in this chapter:
Amasa Aldrich, Homer C. Ayers, Cyrus C. Bennett, Ebenezer Bissell, Henry Buell, Charles P. Conant, Harlan S. Conant, Horace G. Conant, Judson W. Carter, George W. Carter, William C. Clapp. Robert Curpha, Martin V., Deady, Julius M. Dunscomb, Samuel Eels, Arba P. Farwell, Henry Farwell, Jacob Furst, William Fowler, Daniel T. Franklin, Levings Gould, Prosper Gott, Calvin W. Hanks, Charles F. Harris, Charles Hart, William L. Henry, Brainard S. Higley, Dwight R. Herrick, J. F. Huddleston, Chauncey Hull, Wallace Humphrey, Andrew Jersey, Edward J. Johnson, Nathan Lamb, Orris Lamb, Charles H. Marshal, Cassius F. Mather, Milo McClintock, William Mead, Hays Mills, Thomas Monks, Zarah C. Monks, George Monks, Henry M. Palm, W. H. Pearson, William Potinger, Mendon Prentiss, Nathan R. Proctor, Orson Richmond, Riley Root, Dr. Selby, Ira Shattuck, Isaac Smith, Alfred G. Thompson,
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Charles A. Turner, Carillus Vail, Seth A. Wait, Henry J. Wing.
MEMORIAL EXERCISES
The first exercises in the nature of a memorial to those who served in the Civil War and died during the service or since were held May 30, 1870. This service was brought about by the activity of Mrs. M. J. Hopkins. She and a few other ladies made wreaths and bouquets and decorated both the Soldiers' Monument and the graves of the soldiers. This was continued until 1873 when a more extensive observance of Memorial Day was participated in by the townspeople. M. C. Reed, Esq., of Hudson, delivered the address in the Congregational Church. Since that time there has been an address given in one of the churches or on the park each Memorial Day. The ex-soldiers and the chil- dren of the town decorate the monument and the graves of the soldiers and count it time and effort well spent to honor those to whom honor is so assuredly due.
NOTE-The following sometime residents of Twinsburg were in the Spanish-American War: Elmer M. Buell, Edson Freeman, Charles Gerrard, Louis Rich, Jesse Wolfe.
Eppy Riley was in the War of 1812.
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TWINSBURG PARK FROM THE SCHOOL HOUSE
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BANK BUILDING AND OLD WILCOX PLACE
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TWINSBURG PARK, NORTH SIDE
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POSTOFFICE AND CIVIL STATUS
From official records we learn that Twinsburg's first postmaster was Moses Wilcox. He was appointed Mar. 28, 1825, but where the office was and how much business was done is not known. After the death of Mr. Wilcox in 1827 Mr. Ethan Alling was appointed to the position. At that time mail was received once a week from Hudson. In 1828 the total postal receipts were $36.01. With the institution of the stage line came a tri-weekly mail. In 1839 the receipts were $256.67, and in 1860 about $400.00 although postal rates had been greatly reduced. For the quarter ending Sep. 30, 1890, they were $100.01, while for the quarter ending Sep. 30, 1916, they were $176.58.
After the Cleveland and Pittsburg railway was built the mail was daily brought from Macedonia, Mr. Salmon Nelson being carrier. Later Mr. Alanson Mills held the position many years.
The first money order issued by the Twinsburg office was dated Apr. 7, 1890; Oct. 2, 1916, money order No. 17000 was issued. The money order receipts totaled $542.06 during September, 1916.
In July, 1903, a rural free delivery route was estab- lished with Mr. O. P. Nichols as carrier. He was succeeded in 1908 by his son, Bela F. Nichols.
There are now two mails each day bringing an average of 334 pieces of first, 246 of second, 161 of third, and 17 of fourth class mail.
Following is a list of Twinsburg postmasters with dates of their appointments: Moses Wilcox, Mar. 28, 1823; Ethan Alling, Oct. 24, 1827; Edwin T. Richardson, Nov. 2, 1839; George H. Alling, Jan. 6, 1851; S. D. Kelly, July 9, 1853; Alonzo L. Nelson, Jan. 17, 1855; Hector Taylor, May 27, 1861; George Stanley, Apr. 1, 1868; William Mckinney, July 19, 1871; Sherman Lane, Dec. 13, 1880; Fred D. Barber, Nov. 3, 1885; Seth R. Hanchette, Apr. 27, 1889; Alonzo L. Nelson, July 24, 1893; Bert Chamberlin, Jan. 30, 1897; Albert W. Elliott, Jan. 17, 1901; Roy W. Nichols, Oct. 21, 1908; Albert W. Elliott, Dec. 2, 1911.
It is quite probable that since 1831 the postoffice has
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always been located immediately overlooking the northern portion of the public square, and forover twenty years in its present location.
CIVIL STATUS
The people of Twinsburg have never been conspicuous as seekers of office and, consequently, Twinsburg has not been represented in public office so much as some other towns, this tendency being emphasized by the fact that the county seats have both been rather distant.
At the time of the organization of the new county of Summit, April, 1840, Mr. Augustus E. Foote was elected as a county commissioner, and re-elected that fall for the regular three year term. In the numerous adjustments necessary at that critical time Mr. Foote rendered efficient service. He was also a representative in the state legislature in 1843-4 .
Another county commissioner from Twinsburg was Nelson Upson, elected in 1860, re-elected in 1863, resigning the office in March, 1866.
Orrin P. Nichols, one of Twinsburg's prosperous farmers, also a successful lumberman in western Pennsyl- vania and northern New York, was elected representative to the state legislature in 1875. He died April, 1877, before the expiration of his term of office, lamented by his colleagues and fellow townsmen.
William Mckinney, one of Twinsburg's "soldier boys," and at the time of his election, Twinsburg's postmaster, was elected in 1880 county sheriff, and re-elected in 1882. Throughout his four years of service he was assisted by Evelyn A. Parmelee, a comrade from Twinsburg, as deputy sheriff.
Horace P. Cannon was in 1859 made president of the Summit County Agricultural Society, and in 1863 was re-elected to that office which he filled with characteristic zeal.
The present township officers are: Township trustees, Dr. L. G. Griste, William Fee, Ransom Tyson; clerk, Ellsworth J. McCreery; treasurer, Edward Crouse; con- stable, S. H. Crankshaw; superintendent of roads, V. R. Hempstead; notaries public, A. J. Brown and Dr. R. B. Chamberlin.
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TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION
Could the early settlers be permitted a glance over Twinsburg's present highways the most familiar and, at the same time, strangest of sights would meet their eyes. Most familiar because to most people the roads suggest the loca- tion of well remembered places and strangest because of the undreamed of vehicles that speed to and fro upon these same old roads.
This matter of travel and transportation was the first real difficulty to confront Twinsburg's prospective settlers. How could they reach this new place in far-off Ohio? Some answered the question as did Luman Lane and Hanford White by walking, carrying their packs upon their backs. Zenas Alling, Gideon Thompson and Lewis Alling (12 years of age) traveled at the rate of twenty-two miles each day with a large drove of sheep. Most of the women and chil- dren came behind slow moving oxen. Jesse Pratt drove "a team of a yoke of oxen and a horse." Some had horses but, judging from the experience of Mr. Nestor Hurlbut, the advantage was somewhat doubtful. Mr. Hurlbut walked the entire distance between Goshen, Conn., and Twinsburg five times. When about to leave Goshen on his last trip he made a wager with a man about to start on horseback that he would beat him to Twinsburg. By travel- ing more hours each day Mr. Hurlbut managed to make equal progress with the man on horseback and, when nearing the end of his journey, noticed both horse and rider showing signs of fatigue. Mr. Hurlbut then put forth extra effort and actually arrived in Twinsburg six hours ahead of his com- petitor.
So accustomed to walking were these hardy men that they did not hesitate to undertake long trips frequently, nor did they shrink from carrying heavy loads. It was told of Isaiah Humphrey that he purchased an old-fashioned heavy bull-nosed plow in Richfield, shouldered it and walked with it the entire distance (15 miles) to Twinsburg without stopping to rest. Even that task seems easier than to pay the transportation charges of those days. The Allings paid $16.00 per cwt. on a box of log chains, wedges, drag teeth, etc., sent from New Haven to Cleveland.
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Probably the oxen would now appear no more unusual than the conveyances of early times. For several years wagons were very uncommon, and for many years there were none at all in the northern portion of the township. Rude sleds were used both summer and winter. What were called sap-boats were used in hauling grists to mill, bringing sup- plies from neighboring towns, taking the families to church and social gatherings, and for numerous other purposes. They were made of long flat puncheons turned up at the front, held together by strong cleats and wooden pins. Fre- quently chairs were provided for the elders while the children managed as children always know how. Sometimes they rode behind in sap-troughs fastened to the sap-boat. These sap-troughs were made of halves of short sections of large logs, hollowed on the inside and hewed sufficiently flat on the outside to prevent rolling.
For a long time all wagons were destitute of springs. The spring wagon was the predecessor of the buggy. Cov- ered vehicles were heavy, cumbersome affairs till some little time after war time. The first automobile owned by a citizen of Twinsburg was the property of Jay Brewster about ten years ago. Now there are about sixty automo- biles owned here.
One ceases to wonder that pedestrianism was so com- mon when attention is drawn to the fact that the earliest "roads" were only paths blazed through the forests. Natur- ally it was some considerable time before the roads could receive much attention as each man was obliged to clear as much land as possible for his own use. We are told that in the summer of 1821 the men living on the Solon road bound themselves to labor on the road each alternate Saturday afternoon or pay two quarts of whiskey. We are not definitely told to whom payment was to be rendered, but it is not inconceivable that the workers were willing to give a neighbor an occasional "afternoon off." A few years later, after much difficulty had been experienced in crossing Tinker's creek (named by Gen. Moses Cleveland after Joseph Tinker, one of his assistants) a bridge over forty rods long was built across it. This lasted several years. Trees were frequently felled across the creek for a means of passage.
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TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION
It is not strange that roads were built only where really necessary. It was natural that there should be a road from north to south crossing an east to west road at the center of the town. Cleveland to the northwest and Loomis' Mills, Ravenna and Pittsburg to the southeast necessitated the road diagonally crossing the town. Other roads were built to make the more remote parts of town accessible. The fact that Twinsburg was platted by several owners, and that none too accurate instruments were used may account for some irregularities in width and direction of the secondary roads. A study of the map appended may prove interesting to one concerned in this subject. The free turnpike was mostly built by the owners of the land through which it passed, Mills and Hoadley across theirs and Champion across his. The latter asked $4.00 per acre for land abutting the turn- pike and $3.00 for that which did not touch it. The turn- pike cost about $3000.00 and was free to all travel. The roads of early times were fenced with rails that would be an extravagance now.
In the spring of 1828 Ethan Alling and Jabez Gilbert bought the stage property from Hudson to Cleveland, bringing the stage line through Twinsburg instead of North- field. This transaction brought about a tri-weekly mail and from one to five stages a day, also most of the other through travel. The venture was finally successful although Ethan Alling lost $600.00 in running the stage the first season of seven months. Much of the freight passing between Cleve- land and Pittsburg was conveyed through town in "Penn- sylvania teams," usually six horses drawing a large covered (Concord) wagon. The roads were sometimes so bad that these Pennsylvania teams would be two days traveling from a point one mile northwest of the square to the higher ground, near the sandmill, east of town.
Four horses were driven on the stage coaches which carried passengers and the mail. Jabez Gilbert was the most noted of the drivers. The arrival of the stage was an event, and nearly every boy in town sometime resolved to be a stage driver.
In the middle forties the citizens of Twinsburg and other towns along the turnpike built a plank road, first from Twinsburg to Bedford and, later, from the center to Hudson.
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A company was formed, stock issued, and the road to Bed- ford built. It was in use in 1849.
No record is now available of the list of stockholders, but it is known that Ezra Starkweather and Lewis Parks were two of the directors of the company.
Anson White and Orrin P. Nichols, who had a steam sawmill just north of the present residence of Henry A. Bissell, furnished the oak and chestnut plank of which the road was constructed. Eli Thompson had the contract for the stone culverts between Twinsburg and Bedford.
While the plank road was a great improvement over the dirt turnpike, it was never a financial success. The con- struction of the Cleveland and Pittsburg railway in the early fifties caused a change in the mail route and through travel. Also much of the heavy teaming was diverted to the Macedonia road.
There was a tollgate about a mile northwest of the square, and a more substantial one in Bedford a mile or more over the county line. The tollgate on the Hudson road was near the town line. Toll was collected for travel on the road until the early sixties, but by that time the road had become so worn and rough that the collection of toll was discon- tinued. Soon the Twinsburg plank road became only a memory of the past, and remained a total loss to the stock- holders.
RAILROADS
When the Cleveland and Pittsburg Railway Company was preparing to build a road between Cleveland and Pittsburg Twinsburg was along the route proposed. Natur- ally those who lived along the stage route did not take kindly to the plan, nor did the owners of the stage property. Others feared an undesirable class of citizens would come with the railway, some even predicting as inevitable a change in the political status of the town. At any rate, so much hostility to the plan was evidenced that the railway was finally located three and a half miles west of the center, and even at that distance its construction sealed the doom of the stage line. To this generation the matter might easily seem to have been managed with little foresight, but it is well to remember that in those days railways were so new that the
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TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION
people could not really know the value to a community of a good railroad.
Even then Twinsburg was destined to share in the promotion of a railway. As the C. & P. neared completion the desirability of a branch through the southern part of the county, Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, connecting with the C. and P. at Hudson became apparent to many. In order to secure this "Akron Branch," by a special act of the Legisla- ture March 24, 1851, authority was given the county com- missioners, with consent of the legal voters, to subscribe for $100,000.00 of the stock of the company and to borrow the money on bonds not less than $100.00 each at a rate of interest not exceeding seven percent. At the special election, June 21, 1851, for the adoption of the new State Constitution Twinsburg voted against the bond issue 156 to 3. Neverthe- less, the measure carried and for twelve or thirteen years Twinsburg helped build what since 1881 has been known as the C. A. & C. R. R
But until 1880 Twinsburg was without a railroad. A few years prior to that time surveys were made for what was known as the Waddell line and some grading was done. Evidence of this can still be seen both east and west of North street a few rods north of the square. However the project was abandoned and it is very difficult to obtain much reliable information concerning it.
In 1880 the Connotton Valley R. R. was built, passing one-half mile east of the center. It was a narrow gauge road extending from Cleveland to Canton and on to Bowerstown in Harrison county. Later it became the Cleveland and Canton and as such was brought to standard gauge. For several years it has been known as the Wheeling and Lake Erie and has had a steadily increasing business. It is diffi- cult to even imagine what the present condition of Twins- burg would be had not a railroad been available during more recent years. In return, Twinsburg has given a large amount of business to the railway.
The Connotton Valley railroad brought also the tele- graph to Twinsburg. At first the American Rapid Tele- graph Co. operated the Connotton Valley lines through Twinsburg. The Postal Telegraph Co. was the product of evolution from the Rapid, through the Bankers and Mer-
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TWINSBURG HISTORY
chants and the United lines. Its first office in Twinsburg was established in 1882 with Fred D. Barber in charge. His successor was R. F. Campbell. A .W. Elliott took the office in 1891, remaining until 1908. John Leach next held the position until his tragic death from electric shock in 1913. M. Mclaughlin now has charge of the work here. In 1882 there were only two wires, by 1891 there were four, two large and two small compounds, and the steadily increasing volume of business has necessitated additions. This is the first test station this side of Cleveland and is considered quite important by the company.
From time to time there have been prospects of a trolley through the township and investigatory surveys have been made, but no very earnest attempts have ever been made toward any such object.
IMPROVEMENTS
The road from Bedford to Hudson has been improved with a 14-ft. brick pavement, but except that the dirt roads receive far better care, they remain much as the early settlers left them. A short street has recently been opened running west from just south of the old Alling store to provide access to the new Crankshaw allotment.
In her hundredth year Twinsburg has seen auto bus service instituted along the old plank road. Several round trips daily are made between Hudson and Harvard Avenue, much to the satisfaction of the townspeople.
There is little doubt that the improvement of her roads is Twinsburg's greatest problem. To those who know the usual enterprise of the townspeople it may seem strange that more has not been done. However, it is no small task to construct and maintain approximately thirty miles of good roads. Climatic conditions, a varied soil, the presence of quicksand in many places and the increased traffic make dirt roads impractical at least one-third of the year. But the cost of materials and labor to construct roads that can withstand the rapid and heavy traffic now so common is prohibitive if borne by the township alone, and that the problem is not local may be readily inferred from a recent newspaper item: "In twelve hours' time Sunday (Sep. 17, 1916), 2476 autos passed a certain point on the Hudson road and an expert who knew the make and cost of the
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TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION
autos counted up what passed in 10 minutes and the amount was $56,000.00."
The county has aided, and probably will do so again in the construction of the main roads, but to the township those who live on the secondary roads must look for help. These roads can be improved at much less expense and at the same time be less provocative of misuse than those more extensively traveled. Much of Twinsburg's future depends upon how this problem is met. While the solution of this problem may bring new ones to be solved, it will solve some that are as old as the town itself.
HOTELS
In times long gone by travelers could not so readily pass through Twinsburg and a place to find refreshment was a necessity. Even in 1817 there seems to have been some warrant for calling the Alling's log house "Hotel Alling." Quick to discover opportunities, and perhaps mindful of the tavern his father kept on the Derby turnpike, Ethan Alling in 1825 began the construction, near the southeast corner of the square, of the town's first tavern. It was completed the next year, Mr. Alling moved in on Dec. 6, 1826, and with a Christmas ball formally opened the tavern. In the spring of 1831 he rented the tavern to Samuel Edgerly. In 1835 David Grant was the proprietor. It was probably later that he had a hotel where the present Masonic building stands. In the meantime, probably in 1830, another hotel had been built by Otis and Eli Boise. It is still standing on the east side of the square. Northwest of the square on the Bedford road, where Mrs. Boose now lives, Edwin Richardson kept a hotel as also did Park Clark. Ezra Starkweather, for many years, kept a hotel on the Cleveland road and had a flourish- ing business. The house still stands, being the last in Twins- burg on that road. Among those who were proprietors of the present hotel were Edwin Richardson, L. Bailey, (perhaps Messrs. Chase and Thompson,) Hiram Kelly, E. W. Clark, Granger Blackman, Messrs. Hawkins, Lewis, Luke, Nicho- demus, Stein, Mrs. Betsey Clark, John Blackman and H. A. Bissell.
Mr. Elmore Clark had the longest proprietorship, from 1854 till 1885. When he took possession of the hotel, probably about November 15, his friends insisted he should
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